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EXPLORING THE ANTITUMOR EFFECT OF VIRUS IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA
Dipongkor Saha1, Seemin S Ahmed1, Samuel D Rabkin1
1Brain Tumor Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Abstract:
Malignant gliomas are the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor with no effective treatments. Current conventional therapies (surgical resection, radiation therapy, temozolomide (TMZ), and bevacizumab administration) typically fail to eradicate the tumors resulting in the recurrence of treatment-resistant tumors. Therefore, novel approaches are needed to improve therapeutic outcomes. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are excellent candidates as a more effective therapeutic strategy for aggressive cancers like malignant gliomas since OVs have a natural preference or have been genetically engineered to selectively replicate in and kill cancer cells. OVs have been used in numerous preclinical studies in malignant glioma, and a large number of clinical trials using OVs have been completed or are underway that have demonstrated safety, as well as provided indications of effective antiglioma activity. In this review, we will focus on those OVs that have been used in clinical trials for the treatment of malignant gliomas (herpes simplex virus, adenovirus, parvovirus, reovirus, poliovirus, Newcastle disease virus, measles virus, and retrovirus) and OVs examined preclinically (vesicular stomatitis virus and myxoma virus), and describe how these agents are being used.
Insights
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) show promise for treating malignant gliomas, offering a novel therapeutic strategy. Clinical trials demonstrate their safety and potential effectiveness against these aggressive brain tumors.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Virology
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Malignant gliomas are aggressive brain tumors with limited effective treatments.
- Conventional therapies often lead to tumor recurrence and treatment resistance.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review oncolytic viruses (OVs) investigated for malignant glioma treatment.
- To highlight OVs used in clinical trials and preclinical studies.
- To describe the application of these viral agents in glioma therapy.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical trials involving OVs for malignant gliomas.
- Analysis of preclinical studies on OVs for glioma treatment.
- Focus on specific OV types including herpes simplex virus, adenovirus, and reovirus.
Main Results:
- OVs demonstrate a natural or engineered selectivity for cancer cell replication and killing.
- Clinical trials indicate safety and potential anti-glioma activity of OVs.
- Preclinical studies explore additional OV candidates like vesicular stomatitis virus.
Conclusions:
- Oncolytic viruses represent a promising therapeutic avenue for malignant gliomas.
- Ongoing research and clinical trials are vital for advancing OV-based treatments.
- Further investigation into OV mechanisms and applications is warranted.
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