Light Therapy + TIL for Skin Cancer

This trial explores whether a special light therapy app, used alongside Therapeutic Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL), can help treat advanced melanoma, a skin cancer that has spread. The light therapy aims to reset the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of the immune therapy. Individuals with melanoma that did not improve after certain immune treatments and who can read English may be suitable candidates. The combination of therapies aims to be safe and may enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer. As a Phase 1 trial, the research focuses on understanding how the treatment works in people, offering participants the opportunity to be among the first to receive this innovative therapy.

The trial requires that you stop using melatonin or sleep aids like zolpidem, trazodone, or benzodiazepines at least 14 days before joining. Other medications are not specifically mentioned, so it's best to discuss with the trial team.

Research on Circadian-Optimized Light Therapy (COLT) shows that adding this therapy to standard care for advanced melanoma is safe and manageable. Studies indicate that when light therapy aligns with the body's natural clock, patients often experience fewer severe side effects and improved survival rates compared to traditional treatment timing.

Unlike most treatments for skin cancer that focus solely on targeting the cancer cells, this new approach combines therapeutic tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) with light therapy to enhance treatment effectiveness. TIL therapy involves infusing patients with immune cells that are specifically trained to attack cancer, but the addition of light therapy is aimed at optimizing the body's natural circadian rhythms, potentially boosting the immune response. Researchers are excited because this combination could not only improve the effectiveness of TIL therapy but also help manage side effects and improve patients' overall well-being during treatment.

Studies have shown that tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy works well for advanced melanoma, a type of skin cancer. In trials, TIL therapy shrank tumors in nearly one-third of patients, and more than half of these patients showed no signs of cancer afterward. Research suggests that TIL therapy can help patients live longer without the cancer worsening, compared to other treatments. In this trial, participants will receive TIL therapy as part of their treatment. Meanwhile, researchers are studying circadian-optimized light therapy (COLT) to help regulate the body's internal clock, which can strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. Although direct evidence that COLT helps with cancer is limited, similar light therapies have reduced fatigue and improved overall health. Participants in this trial will also receive COLT, and combining TIL with COLT might enhance melanoma treatment effectiveness.¹²³⁴⁵