The idea of using viruses to treat cancer has been around for more than a century. But scientists have only recently begun to rigorously test viral therapy. The University of Ottawa’s John Bell has made great advances in this area by teaming up with researchers at Ottawa Hospital, McMaster University, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, and NCIC Clinical Trials Group. They launched clinical trials of a therapy that uses two viruses against advanced cancers. The therapy shows promise for attacking and killing cancer cells, and stimulating an anti-cancer immune response.
Their approach could offer patients with advanced cancer a treatment with fewer side effects than chemotherapy and radiation.
