A new approach for cancer treatment: Oncolytic viruses

Objectives: Despite significant progress made in cancer therapies, mortality rates for most malignancies remain distressingly high. The resistance of cancers to conventional therapies has inspires the search for novel strategies. Use of oncolytic viruses is one of these new strategies. Use of oncolyticviruses is one of these new strategies. Many different viruses are able to select and proliferate in cancer cells without harming normal cells. Some of these naturally oncolytic viruses are Herpesvius, Reovirus, Adenovirus, Vesicular stomatitis virus and Newcastle disease virus. Many preclinical and clinical trials have been done using oncolytic viruses for treatment of different human and animal cancers. Nowadays in some countries this modality of treatment is used for treatment of patients with advanced cancers. The world’s first oncolytic virus approved by China’s State Food and Drug Administration in 2005, was a genetically modified adenovirus. An engineered herpesvirus called talimogenelaherparepvec (T­VEC) is the first oncolytic viruses approved by FDA in fight against late-stage of melanoma in October, 2015. At “Immunologisch Oncologisches Zentrum Koln” (IOZK) virotherapy with Newcastle Disease virus is being used along with autogenous dendritic cell vaccinationto treatadvancedcanceras a supplemental treatment. Result conclusion: In this article, mechanisms by which oncolytic viruses kill the tumor cells have been discussed as also the development made in virotherapy for cancer treatment with emphasis on their tumor specific targeting and different clinical trials. ,