Oncolytic herpes simplex virus vectors and chemotherapy: are combinatorial strategies more effective for cancer?

ABSTRACT: Despite aggressive treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, cancers often recur owing to resistance to conventional therapies. Oncolytic viruses such as oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) represent an exciting biological approach to cancer therapy. A range of viral mutations has been engineered into HSV to engender oncolytic activity. While oHSV as a single agent has been tested in a number of cancer clinical trials, preclinical studies have demonstrated enhanced efficacy when it is combined with cytotoxic anticancer drugs. Among the strategies that will be discussed in this article are combinations with standard-of-care chemotherapeutics, expression of prodrug-activating enzymes to enhance chemotherapy and small-molecule inhibitors. The combination of oHSV and chemotherapy

SUBMITTER: Kanai R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2904234 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature