A large dose of the measles virus could be an effective method of eradicating cancer.
Two patients suffering from the fatal cancer multiple myeloma received a "single intravenous dose of an engineered measles virus (MV-NIS) ," a Mayo Clinic news release reported.
Both patients showed a reduction in the myeloma protein and in bone marrow cancer.
One of the patients, who was a 49-year-old female, went into complete remission and has remained cancer-free for over six months.
"This is the first study to establish the feasibility of systemic oncolytic virotherapy for disseminated cancer," Stephen Russell, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic hematologist, first author of the paper and co-developer of the therapy, said in the news release. "These patients were not responsive to other therapies and had experienced several recurrences of their disease."
Multiple myeloma occurs in the cancer cells located in the bone marrow, this causes tumors in the skeletal or soft tissue.
Immune system-stimulating drugs can treat the cancer, but rarely eradicates it.
Researchers decided to try Oncolytic virotherapy on the cancer to see if it responded. The technique employs re-engineered viruses and has proven to be effective in treating other types of cancer.
"This study provides the first well-documented case of a patient with disseminated cancer having a complete remission at all disease sites after virus administration," the news release reported.
The other patient who participated in the trial did not respond as well to the treatment, but imaging studies showed the virus specifically targeted the cancer cells.
The virus was engineered to have a "snitch gene" that makes them easier to spot in the high-tech imaging.
Researchers are now in the process of manufacturing more MV-NIS for a larger phase 2 clinical trial. The virus therapy could be tested on its effectiveness in treating the cancer alongside radioactive therapy.
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