Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42216079›Full record

ReviewVirology journal2026

Recent advances in oncolytic virotherapy: insights from clinical trials and combination treatment strategies.

Omid Salahi Ardekani, Mahya Zarezade, Behshid Meymandi, Narjes Azami, Bahar Mahdavi, Toran Shahani

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Virology journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Omid Salahi ArdekaniDepartment of Virology, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. omid.salahi23@gmail.com.
Mahya ZarezadeDepartment of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Behshid MeymandiDepartment of Medical Microbiology (Bacteriology and Virology), Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Narjes AzamiDepartment of Microbiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
Bahar MahdaviDepartment of Molecular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.
Toran ShahaniVirology Department, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimOncolytic virotherapy is a novel therapeutic paradigm in oncology that uses viruses to selectively replicate within cancer cells, causing targeted tumor cell destruction with minimal toxicity to healthy tissues. With the rapid growth of oncolytic virotherapy and the accumulation of clinical studies on this subject, the present review aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of current achievements in cancer treatments involving oncolytic viruses (OVs). MAIN TEXT: Numerous clinical trials have been conducted to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of OVs across a variety of cancer types. Several OVs have received approval worldwide, with the primary ones being T-VEC (Imlygic) in the treatment of melanoma (FDA/European approval), Oncorine (H101) for cancers of the head and neck (China), and Teserpaturev for gliomas (Japan). Furthermore, several other clinical trials are currently underway, demonstrating the growing interest in the clinical development of oncolytic virotherapy as a potentially effective anticancer strategy. These clinical trials have explored multiple strategies to enhance the safety and therapeutic efficacy of OVs. Approaches include genetic modifications to improve tumor specificity, promote effective cancer cell lysis, and stimulate robust antitumor immune responses. In addition, OVs have been combined with other treatment modalities, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, cell-based therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and targeted small-molecule agents. Innovative delivery systems, including cellular carriers, nanoparticles, hydrogels, and cell-based robotic platforms, have also been developed.

conclusionOncolytic virotherapy is a new and rapidly evolving treatment modality, which is promising in therapy against cancer. Clinical trials have proven that OVs can be a safe and effective way to treat cancer, making them an essential part of future therapies.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsOncolytic VirotherapyOncolytic VirusesAnimalsClinical Trials as TopicCombined Modality TherapyHumansCancerClinical trialsCombination therapyOncolytic virotherapyOncolytic viruses

Identifiers

PMID42216079
PMCPMC13440092

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.