Oncolytic

The term oncolytic refers to the ability to selectively destroy cancer cells.

It is most commonly used in the context of:

Oncolytic viruses are viruses that are engineered or naturally selected to:

• Infect and replicate within tumor cells
• Cause lysis (destruction) of those cells
• Spare normal, healthy cells as much as possible

Examples include:

• Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) – a modified herpes simplex virus, approved for melanoma
• Reovirus, adenovirus, vaccinia, and measles virus – under clinical investigation for various cancers

This refers to therapeutic approaches that use oncolytic viruses to:

• Directly kill cancer cells
• Stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack tumors
• Be combined with other treatments such as immunotherapy or chemotherapy

• Targeted tumor destruction
• Immune activation
• Synergistic with existing treatments

Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging and promising area of cancer treatment, especially in clinical research and personalized medicine.