Genetically altered virus helps stop growth of primary and distant kidney tumors.

Viruses are quickly becoming key players in the fight against cancer. Scientists are developing ways to modify the genetic material of viruses to make them tools in fight againts malignant cells. A study recently published in Cancer Biology & Therapy describes the development of a modified adenovirus (Ad.5/3-mda-7) that triggers kidney cancer cells, as well as normal kidney cells, to express MDA-7/IL-24, a protein toxic to cancer cells. Combining the adenovirus with current kidney cancer chemotherapy drug Sorafenib (Nexavar®) leads to the death of tumor cells in the kidneys and reduced growth of distant tumors not directly exposed to the adenovirus.