Virotherapy

Virotherapy is a biological method of cancer treatment that uses viruses to target and fight tumors. Specially developed or genetically modified viruses — known as oncolytic viruses — are introduced into the patient’s body, where they selectively attack and destroy cancer cells while leaving healthy tissues unaffected. These viruses replicate within tumor cells, leading to their destruction, and simultaneously activate the immune system to enhance the body’s anti-cancer response.

Oncolytic virotherapy is based on the use of viruses from the Paramyxoviridae family (such as the Sendai virus), which are harmless to humans but highly aggressive toward malignant cells. These viruses infiltrate the tumor and render it visible to the immune system, helping the body to recognize and destroy the cancer. Virotherapy is effective at various stages of cancer, and modern advances in genetic engineering have enabled the development of viruses capable of completely destroying tumors.

Advantages of virotherapy

• Targeted action: The viruses attack only cancerous cells, minimizing damage to healthy tissues.
• Immune system stimulation: Virotherapy not only destroys the tumor but also assists the immune system in recognizing and destroying malignant cells.
• Minimal side effects: Since healthy tissues remain largely unaffected, the side effects are minimal compared to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
• Combination potential: Virotherapy can be combined with other treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy to achieve maximum therapeutic effect.

Indications for virotherapy

Virotherapy is used to treat various types of cancer, particularly those that respond poorly to conventional treatments.

Skin oncology

Melanoma: Virotherapy is applied in the treatment of aggressive skin cancer, especially when other treatment methods prove ineffective.

Internal organ oncology

• Liver Cancer: Viruses can be administered directly into the tumor to destroy it from within.
• Pancreatic Cancer: Virotherapy is considered an adjunct method to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Central nervous system oncology

Glioblastoma: One of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, resistant to traditional treatments. Virotherapy helps reduce tumor size and supports the fight against the disease.

Research indicates that virotherapy can significantly improve prognosis in patients with certain types of cancer. For example, in the treatment of melanoma, virotherapy may lead to tumor size reduction in 30-40% of patients. In the case of glioblastoma, virotherapy can extend patients’ survival by several months compared to standard treatment approaches.

Although virotherapy remains in the clinical trial phase for many cancer types, current results already demonstrate its promising potential.

How virotherapy is performed in leading international clinics

Depending on the location of the malignant tumor, the Sendai virus-based drug may be administered in various ways: intramuscularly, subcutaneously, intradermally, intravenously, or directly into the tumor via special punctures. The viruses infiltrate the cancer cells, destroy them, and “train” the immune system to recognize and fight cancer.

Unlike traditional antineoplastic agents, which can be toxic and not always effective, virotherapy offers a more favorable therapeutic profile. However, this method has not yet become widely adopted and is currently available only in select European clinics.