Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have found that tapping into the body's own immune system and activating a type of immune cell known as B cells, could be the key to boosting the effectiveness of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL therapy. TIL therapy starts with doctor's removing tumors from the patient. These tumors are sent to a lab, where they are dissected to collect immune cells that have infiltrated the tumor, known as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). These TILs are then grown in large quantities and reinfused into the patient's body to seek out and attack cancer cells. While it's already FDA-approved for melanoma, new Moffitt research shows that a simple tweak in the lab could make it work even better for more patients. The key is a natural immune protein called CD40L. We discovered that by adding CD40L to the immune cells in the lab, we could dramatically improve the number and quality of cancer-fighting T cells we're able to grow. It's like flipping a switch that helps these cells become stronger and healthier." Results of the study showed that in more challenging specimens, TIL cultures grew successfully in 67% of samples when CD40L was used, compared to 33% without it. Finally, the enhanced cells were more "stem-like," a trait linked to longer-lasting cancer fighting capabilities. "TIL therapy is one of the most promising treatments we have for solid tumors," said Abate-Daga. Moffitt is currently leading a clinical trial to test this approach in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Researchers hope CD40L-enhanced TILs will become a next-generation standard in TIL therapy. This study was funded by the National Cancer Institution (P30CA076292), the SuzyQ Melanoma Fund, Moffitt Cancer Center's Lung Cancer Center of Excellence and Donald A. Adam Skin Cancer and Melanoma Center of Excellence, the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation and the Mark Foundation ASPIRE program. CD40L stimulates tumor-infiltrating B-cells and improves ex vivo TIL expansion. Dr. Pascale Allotey advocates for comprehensive maternal health policies, stressing the importance of women's voices in shaping effective healthcare solutions. Dr. Yifan Jian explores the evolution of OCT, challenges in retinal imaging, and AI's potential in biophotonics, shaping the future of ophthalmic diagnostics. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. Hi, I'm Azthena, you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net. Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content. A few things you need to know before we start. While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles. Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.