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Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
Published on: January 7, 2019
Virus Against Cancer: Paradigm-Shifting Biological Concepts
Dong Ho Shin1, Marta M Alonso2,3,4, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano5
1Department of Neuro-Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
Virotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to cancer treatment. Over the past two decades, early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and promising efficacy of virotherapy in subsets of cancer patients. However, a significant knowledge gap needs to be filled to propel the field further and achieve substantial anti-cancer benefits for more than the current 10-20% of treated patients. This article reviews the most relevant current challenges in cancer virotherapy.
Recent Findings:
Recent clinical observations suggest that patients who respond to virotherapy experience a shift in their immune response from an initial or concomitant response against the virus toward the tumor. Strategies aimed at facilitating the temporary escape of the virus from the immune response and ultimately redirecting the immune response from the virus to the tumor may propel the development of cancer viroimmunotherapy as a potent and versatile approach to cancer treatment. Here, we examine this issue and other current challenges in cancer virotherapy.
Insights
Virotherapy shows promise for cancer treatment, but challenges remain in expanding its benefits beyond 10-20% of patients. Redirecting the immune response from the virus to the tumor is key for advancing cancer viroimmunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Virology
Background:
- Virotherapy utilizes viruses for cancer treatment, with early trials showing safety and efficacy in some patients.
- Current virotherapy benefits a limited subset (10-20%) of treated cancer patients, indicating a need for further development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current challenges in cancer virotherapy.
- To explore strategies for enhancing virotherapy's anti-cancer efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Review of early-phase clinical trials and recent clinical observations in cancer virotherapy.
- Analysis of immune response shifts in patients undergoing virotherapy.
Main Results:
- Virotherapy has demonstrated safety and efficacy in specific cancer patient groups.
- Successful virotherapy responders exhibit a shift in immune response from the virus to the tumor.
- Strategies to redirect immune response are crucial for advancing virotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Addressing current challenges in cancer virotherapy is essential for broader clinical application.
- Developing cancer viroimmunotherapy by redirecting immune responses holds significant potential.
- Further research is needed to overcome limitations and maximize anti-cancer benefits.
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