Immune cell therapy shows promise for advanced melanoma – does adding radiation help?
NCT ID NCT01319565
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested an experimental treatment for metastatic melanoma using a patient's own immune cells (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) grown in a lab and given back along with high-dose IL-2. Before the cell infusion, all patients received chemotherapy to suppress their immune system, and half also got total body irradiation. The goal was to see if adding radiation helped the cells work better. The trial enrolled 102 adults with metastatic melanoma and measured tumor shrinkage and survival.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), aldesleukin (IL-2), cyclophosphamide, fludarabine, and total body irradiation
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could improve tumor shrinkage and survival for people with metastatic melanoma by boosting the immune system's ability to attack cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial with 102 participants, so results are still preliminary. Adding total body irradiation increases side effects like immune suppression and infection risk, and may not improve outcomes over chemotherapy alone.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
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