Oncolytic Viruses, An Emerging Anti-Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Achievements and Future Directions

Abstract

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are currently influencing biological cancer therapy. It is a recently created immunotherapy that has been approved to treat cancer and can promote the death of specific cell types to promote antitumor immunological effects. Given the complicated conditions in the tumor micro environment (TME), trials involving the use of OVs demonstrated that OVs could potentially be utilized independently or in combination with other therapies like radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, as well as surgery. While immune suppression against tumors is of critical importance in OV therapy, concurrent antiviral immune responses should also be taken into consideration. Because of this, antiviral immune responses limit OV infections and replication, which also restricts the oncolytic effects of OVs. Recent studies on the operation and mechanics of OVs and how they are employed in clinics has produced results that are encouraging for the future. This review outlined the traits and biological categories of potential OVs, presented the findings of clinical trials, and discussed combinations with other forms of cancer therapy.