Virotherapy: From single agents to combinatorial treatments.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Virology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are an emerging cancer therapy, with some already approved globally.
• OVs selectively infect and lyse cancer cells, modulate the tumor microenvironment, and stimulate anti-tumor immunity.
• Monotherapy with OVs shows limited efficacy in most patients, necessitating combination strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review combinations of oncolytic viruses with conventional chemotherapeutic agents.
• To provide an overview of oncolytic virus combinations with targeted cancer therapies.
• To highlight enhanced anti-neoplastic activity achieved through combined treatment modalities.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies combining oncolytic viruses with chemotherapy.
• Literature review of studies combining oncolytic viruses with targeted therapies.
• Analysis of enhanced anti-neoplastic activity reported in combined treatment approaches.

Main Results:

• Combinations of OVs with platinum salts, mitotic inhibitors, anthracyclines, anti-metabolites, alkylating agents, and topoisomerase inhibitors were described.
• Combinations of OVs with histone deacetylase inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, DNA repair inhibitors, proteasome inhibitors, and statins showed enhanced efficacy.
• Combined therapies demonstrated improved oncolytic virus anti-neoplastic activity.

Conclusions:

• Oncolytic viruses show greater potential when used in combination with other treatments.
• Combined therapies utilizing OVs with chemotherapy or targeted agents enhance anti-cancer effects.
• Further clinical studies are needed, but combined therapies offer a promising strategy for treatment-resistant cancers.