Viruses can be used to Attack Tumors

In the early 1900s, it was found that when tumor patients contracted certain viruses, the tumor would subside for awhile.  This was because viruses frequently target tumor cells.  Cancer cells can divide faster than normal cells, but they cannot fight disease as effectively as healthy cells.


Research for oncolytic viruses first started in 1904 but eventually ended with unsuccessful results.  Then in 1991, the herpes simplex virus was used to fight cancer.  It was injected in mice with brain cancer and although it cured them of cancer, most of them died of meningitis.  After that, more doctors worked to engineer a virus that spared healthy cells and targeted only cancer cells.  Oncolytic viruses are more long lasting and effective than chemo because they also produce immune responses that fight tumors.  There are some oncolytic viruses currently in trials.  A viral agent used to get rid of smallpox is being used to fight liver cancer, a herpes virus is being used to fight melanoma, and a reovirus is being tested against head and neck cancer.


This article was interesting because it involved integrating what researchers know about the way viruses attack cells and targeting those viruses to malignant cells.  This research will be very useful in the future as doctors continue to work for a cure for cancer.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/health/research/viruses-are-recruited-and-flipped-as-cancer-killers.html?_r=1&ref=research