Advanced melanoma patients first in Australia to receive tailor-made cell therapy

Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH) has become the first hospital in the country to deliver patient specific anti-cancer cell therapy to patients with advanced melanoma.

The novel investigational treatment is part of a new cell therapy research trial called TILVance-301.

FSH Medical Oncologist and lead trial researcher, Professor Adnan Khattak, said current advanced melanoma immune modulating treatments were not patient specific.

“We are evaluating whether adding patient specific cellular therapy derived from a patient’s own tumour tissue, in combination with the currently used immunotherapy, will have greater efficacy for advanced melanoma than immunotherapy alone,” Professor Khattak said.

“Patient specific cellular therapy is derived by surgically removing part of the patient’s cancer and sending it to a laboratory overseas where the patient’s tumour specific immune cells can be harvested and cultured to grow into immune cells that are designed to specifically target that individual patient’s tumour.

“The tailor-made treatment is then sent back to FSH where the patient is given the infusion on the ward.”

The novel therapy research aims to improve outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma, like 57-year-old David Braund.

Just the second WA patient to receive the treatment, the Bedfordale air conditioning business owner first noticed a lump on the side of his head that he just put down to ‘getting old’.

Further investigation revealed it was Stage 4 melanoma with the cancer spreading to his liver.

“When I first got the news, the prognosis wasn’t good. I was up all hours of the night researching what treatments were available and I actually came across this exact research trial – although I’ve not been able to find the same information I did that night again,” David said.

“I’ve since had both doses of the immunotherapy and the tumour on the side of my head all but disappeared after two weeks. I was literally seeing the results before my own eyes.”

“Now I’m onto the second part of the treatment where I’m being admitted as an inpatient at FSH to receive my cell therapy – I’m a little apprehensive but hopeful the treatment all works.”

“For any other advanced melanoma patients looking for treatment options I would recommend doing your research to see what’s available. Don’t give up – anything’s possible.”

It’s hoped the cellular therapy may also be effective not only for melanoma, but other cancers such as lung cancers.

Conducted by Iovance Biotherapeutics Inc, with FSH as an enrolling site, the international trial was a collaboration between the Medical Oncology Clinical Trials Unit and FSH Bone Marrow Transplant Lab.

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