Scientists have discovered that a genetically-modified version of one type of herpes virus that causes cold sores and genital herpes could show promise as a possible treatment for skin cancer. They found out that the virus is generally harmless on normal cells but can be deadly to tumors because it releases compounds that battle cancer cells.
The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, was developed by researchers from the The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. They conducted trial studies aiming to show that the said therapy could lengthen survival by years for some melanoma patients, BBC News reports.
The study involved 436 patients with an inoperable and aggressive melanoma called Talimogene Laherparepvec. They were injected of the viral therapy, called Talimogene Laherparepvec, or a control immunotherapy.
Furthermore, around 16.8 percent of the group that was given the Talimogene Laherparepvec or T-VEC showed a good treatment response of more than six months compared with 2.1 percent incurred by the control group. Generally, some patients were responding to the treatment even after three years.
The average of lifespan of patients with stage III and early stage IV melanoma who underwent the T-VEC treatment is 41 months. On the other hand, those who received the control treatment lived an average of 21.5 months.
In the past, immunotherapy offer treatments against melanoma but this is the first trial that a modified virus has been effective in initiating the treatment, Washington Post reports.
UK trial leader Professor Kevin Harrington, Professor of Biological Cancer Therapies at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Honorary Consultant at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said in the press release, "Our study showed that T-VEC can deliver a significant, durable benefit for people with melanoma."
He added, "It is encouraging that the treatment had such a clear benefit for patients with less advanced cancers - ongoing studies are evaluating if it can become a first-line treatment for more aggressive melanomas and advanced disease."
