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Therapeutic Viruses Boost Immune System's Ability to Fight Cancer

Therapeutic Viruses Boost Immune System's Ability to Fight Cancer

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Patients with treatment-resistant cancer can now receive treatment with the myxoma virus in combination with immunotherapy.

Highlights:
  • Immunotherapy and virotherapy are used for treating certain malignancies
  • A new strategy combining immunotherapy and virotherapy has shown significant success in treating certain drug-resistant cancers
A combination of two therapies has shown promising results for treating drug-resistant cancers, revealed a new study.
The immune system defends the body against various disease-associated challenges. It includes viral infections like the flu, the Ebola virus and SARS CoV-2, and bacterial diseases like the plague, cholera, diphtheria and Lyme disease.

Despite the immune system’s capabilities, one kind of threat is difficult to eliminate: Cancer. Cancer develops when the body’s cells go awry. The immune system constantly tries to clear the body of cancerous cells., but when the disease grows unchecked, its efforts are typically thwarted.

Combination of Immunotherapy and Virotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Cancer

Myxoma virus, in combination with immunotherapy, gives patients with treatment-resistant cancer fresh hope.

The strategy combines two therapies that have each had significant success in treating certain malignancies. Oncolytic virotherapy, a method that employs cancer-fighting viruses, can work in conjunction with the currently used immunotherapy. This approach enhances the immune system’s capability to target and eradicate cancer cells.

Treating Cancer with Oncolytic Viruses

An intriguing new approach to treating cancer is using oncolytic viruses. Such viruses increase the immune system’s capacity to identify and eliminate cancer cells. They also have the unique ability to seek and destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.

Myxoma, one of these viruses, is the subject of the present study and a specialty for the research team. Using T-cells infected with the myxoma virus can cause a brand-new type of cancer cell death.

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This process of cell death, known as autosis, may be especially helpful in treating solid tumours that have shown resistance to immunotherapy alone and other cancer therapies.

“This work affirms the enormous potential of combining virotherapy with cell therapy to treat currently intractable cancers,” said McFadden, author of the study.

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Source-Medindia


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