‘Hitch-hiking’ viral therapy deals a double blow to cancer
Scientists have shown how a promising viral therapy that delivers a double blow to cancer can sneak up on tumours undetected by hitching a ride on blood cells.
The work, led by Dr Kevin Harrington from the ICR and colleagues at the University of Leeds, revealed how the ‘hitch-hiking’ virus is shielded from antibodies in the blood stream that might otherwise neutralise its anti-cancer properties. Not only did the virus stay active during its journey through the bloodstream, but it also homed in on cancer cells, ignoring nearby healthy tissue.
Reovirus is a promising new way of treating cancer that attacks the disease on two fronts. Not only does the virus kill cancer cells directly, but it also triggers an immune response - like a vaccine – that helps eliminate residual cancer cells.
The findings suggest that viral therapies like this can be effectively injected into the bloodstream during routine outpatient appointments - just like standard chemotherapy agents – making them potentially suitable for use against a wide range of cancers.
The study involved 10 patients with advanced bowel cancer who were due to have surgery on tumours that had spread to the liver. All patients were given up to five doses of the reovirus in the weeks before surgery as outpatients. Blood tests carried out shortly after treatment found the active virus associated with blood cells.
Many patient trials of reovirus are currently underway, including several in the UK led by the same University of Leeds and ICR scientists.
