The emerging field of oncolytic virus-based cancer immunotherapy

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) provide novel and promising therapeutic options for patients with cancers resistant to traditional therapies. Natural or genetically modified OVs are multifaceted tumor killers. They directly lyse tumor cells while sparing normal cells, and indirectly potentiate antitumor immunity by releasing antigens and activating inflammatory responses in the tumor microenvironment. However, some limitations, such as limited penetration of OVs into tumors, short persistence, and the host antiviral immune response, are impeding the broad translation of oncolytic virotherapy into the clinic. If these challenges can be overcome, combination therapies, such as OVs plus immune checkpoint block-ade (ICB), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, or CAR natural killer (NK) cells, may provide powerful therapeutic platforms in the clinic.

Automated summary

Oncolytic viruses offer potential as a novel therapy for cancer patients resistant to traditional treatments. They can directly kill tumor cells and activate an immune response, while sparing normal cells. However, challenges such as limited tumor penetration, short persistence, and the host immune response hinder the clinical translation of oncolytic virotherapy. Overcoming these challenges could lead to powerful combination therapies, such as oncolytic viruses plus immune checkpoint blockade or CAR-based immunotherapies.