New cancer therapy in China shows promise for patients

China has announced promising results from a new cancer therapy that uses a modified virus. This breakthrough aims to help patients with late-stage cancers, particularly when traditional treatments have not worked. The experimental treatment involves an engineered herpes simplex virus named VG161. It has shown the ability to penetrate and eliminate drug-resistant liver tumors. Early trials conducted on 40 liver cancer patients indicated that their life expectancy nearly doubled after treatment. Researchers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University found that the therapy enhances the immune system's ability to fight the disease. They reported that it can turn “cold” tumors, which do not respond to current therapies, into “hot” tumors that can be treated more effectively. This development may shift the focus of cancer treatment, challenging the leading research in the US and Japan. The findings were published in the journal Nature on March 20. This new approach offers hope to patients previously considered untreatable and allows for ongoing treatment until the cancer is managed or cured.