Reovirus may help to fight cancer

Canadian researchers suggest that prostate cancer could be treated with the help of a widespread "tame" virus, called reovirus.

The experts came to the conclusion after administering the virus to six volunteer patients. The "orphan virus" successfully destroyed cancer cells, while leaving normal tissue unaffected.

Reovirus infection is common in humans, but most cases are mild or subclinical. At most, people exposed to it may suffer mild flu-like respiratory symptoms or diarrhoea.

According to earlier studies, reovirus has "oncolytic" potential - which means that it preferentially targets cancer cells.

It is also said to be effective against lymphoid, ovarian, breast, pancreatic and high grade glioma brain cancers.

Some 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK, while around 10,000 die from it.

Analysis of the prostate tissue after introducing the virus showed that cancer cells were killed off in the treated tumours, although there was no sign of the virus replicating in non-cancerous areas of the prostate.

Study leader Dr Don Morris, from the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Alberta, said: "Our results are a stepping stone into future prostate cancer clinical trials with another category of cancer therapeutics."

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