Development of oncolytic virotherapy for the treatment of oral cancer - At the waiting stage for clinical use

Oncolytic virotherapy originated from the finding that virus-infected tumor cells are destroyed by the cytopathic effects of viruses. Cell death induced by viral infections in tumor tissues also promotes inherent tumor immunity in cancer patients. Several DNA and RNA viruses have been proposed as candidates for this treatment through in vitro and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials. Oral cancer is often accompanied by lymph node metastasis, resulting in worse patient prognoses. Some oncolytic viruses have been investigated for their therapeutic effects on patients with advanced head and neck cancer, including oral cancer. Oncolytic virotherapy is expected to become a treatment modality that will be essential for controlling chemoradio-resistant oral cancer.