Because viruses are able to enter and kill cells, they are being actively examined for their potential to treat cancer. Viruses that grow in cancer cells but do not harm normal cells have been developed and several are being tested in clinical trials against a variety of cancers. New research shows that in addition to directly killing cancer cells, infection with cancer killing (oncolytic) viruses can cause the infected cancer cells to release signaling proteins that increases the activation of cells of the immune system. The results suggest that virusThe smallest type of organism known. A single virus particle (called a virion) is much smaller than a cell. Viruses reproduce by invading cells and forcing the cells to make progeny virions. Viruses generally have specific host cells which they infect. Some virus types are associated with specific cancers and can convert normal cells into cancer cells. Examples of viruses associated with cancer are: papillomavirus-cervical cancer, hepatitis virus-liver cancer, Epstein-Barr virus-Burkitt's lymphoma. Virus-induced transformation of cells was one of the very first model systems for the study of cancer. Viruses have also been a key tool in the identification of many oncogenes. Because of their great ability to enter target cells viruses such as adenoviruses are being examined for their ability to deliver genes to cancer cells.-based cancer treatments may work in several ways and have even more benefits than previously known.
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