Oncolytic viruses are providing an interesting approach to treat cancers:
Some time
back in the past, we postulated that the virus may cause the some types of cancers.
But today we are postulating that viruses can be used to cure the cancers. Cancers
tend to grow at the expense of the normal tissues and so are the viruses when
they invade the body. Now, there are attempts to engineer the viruses to do the
jobs favorable for the humans beings and that seems to be good. Some have engineered
viruses to cure multiple myeloma and others are using the virus loaded stem
cells to treat tumors. Recently herpes virus loaded stem cells are used to
treat brain tumor (in mice) such as glioblastoma multiforme which is a
difficult tumor to treat. It said that “Further
preclinical work will be needed to use the herpes-loaded stem cells for breast,
lung and skin cancer tumours that metastasize to the brain. Shah predicts the
approach will enter clinical trials within the next two to three years”.
