Viral immunotherapy against melanoma

Herpes virus has been successfully used to treat skin cancer

News from The Independent: World first as scientists use cold sore virus to attack cancer cells

The staff of the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) reported (in a press release World first as viral immunotherapy for skin cancer shows patient benefit in Phase III trial – VM) that the modified herpes virus is able to effectively destroy skin tumor cells.

The study confirming this involved 436 patients suffering from inoperable melanoma. According to data presented in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Andtbacka et al., Talimogene Laherparepvec Improves Durable Response Rate in Patients With Advanced Melanoma – VM), viral therapy prolongs the patient's life by an average of 20 months compared to standard treatment methods.

The scientists explained that for the first time they were able to prove the effectiveness of T-VEC virus therapy in clinical trials. The method, called viral immunotherapy, works like a "double attack". The modified herpes virus is able to replicate only in tumor cells, and the accumulation of viral particles is accompanied by a rupture of the cancer cell. The second feature of therapy is the stimulation of the patient's immune system, the components of which also begin to attack cancer cells.

The alleged mechanisms of action of the drug. Drawing from Wikipedia article – VM.

"Previous studies have shown that T-VEC can be used to treat this type of cancer. However, for the first time, scientists have proved that viral therapy really prolongs the lives of people suffering from melanoma. The next step will be to study the reasons why therapy is less effective among some patients," said Hayley Frend, an employee of the Cancer Research Center of Great Britain.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru 27.05.2015