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Viroimmunotherapy for breast cancer: promises, problems and future directions

Cancer Gene Therapy volume 28, pages 757–768 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Virotherapy, a strategy to use live viruses as therapeutics, is a relatively novel field in the treatment of cancer. With the advancements in molecular biology and virology, there has been a huge increase in research on cancer virotherapy. For the treatment of cancer, viruses could be used either as vectors in gene therapy or as oncolytic agents. A variety of viruses have been studied for their potential usage in gene therapy or oncolytic therapy. In this review, we discuss virotherapy with a special focus on breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Current treatments are insufficient to cure metastatic breast cancer and are often associated with severe side effects that further deteriorates patients’ quality of life. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches such as virotherapy need to be developed for the treatment of breast cancer. Here we summarize the current treatments for breast cancer and the potential use of virotherapy in the treatment of the disease. Furthermore, we discuss the use of oncolytic viruses as immunotherapeutics and the rational combination of oncolytic viruses with other therapeutics for optimal treatment of breast cancer. Finally, we outline the progress made in virotherapy for breast cancer and the shortcomings that need to be addressed for this novel therapy to move to the clinic for better treatment of breast cancer.

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Fig. 1: Mechanism of action of oncolytic viruses.

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Acknowledgements

Shyambabu Chaurasiya is supported through the generosity of the Natalie and David Roberts Family. We wish to thank them for their philanthropy.

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  1. Department of Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    Shyambabu Chaurasiya & Yuman Fong

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Chaurasiya, S., Fong, Y. Viroimmunotherapy for breast cancer: promises, problems and future directions. Cancer Gene Ther 28, 757–768 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41417-020-00265-6

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