New publication shows surprisingly positive results with oncolytic virotherapy
11.08.2016

The surprisingly positive treatment outcomes using oncolytic virotherapy for late stages cancer patients were recently published in APMIS journal (Acta Pathologica, Microbilogica Et Immunologica Scandinavia). The patients of melanoma stage IV M1c, small cell lung cancer stage IIIA and histiocytic sarcoma stage IV started virotherapy within a few months after being diagnosed and are continuing this treatment. Patients have significantly exceeded the life expectancy, which is usual for such diagnoses. After beginning the therapy their condition stabilized and the quality of life significantly improved.

Despite research and progress in melanoma therapy, mortality rates are high and melanoma is one of the common cancers in the Western world. Small lung cancer is one of the most aggressive lung cancer subtypes. Even though its response to chemotherapy and radiation is high, recurrence is common and long term survival does not exceed 5%. Histiocytic sarcoma is a rare kind of cancer and only a limited number of histiocytic sarcoma cases have been described. Using current standard treatments, the survival of patients with present diagnoses is low.

In contrast, the cancer patients described were diagnosed 3.5, 7 and 6.6 years ago and their conditions have improved and have been stable for over 1.5, 6.5 and 4 years, respectively. They have been long-term treated with oncolytic virotherapy starting from 1 to 2 months after diagnosis. These observations suggest that oncolytic virotherapy can successfully be used in long-term treatment of patients with melanoma stage IV M1c, small cell lung cancer stage IIIA, and histiocytic sarcoma stage IV.