Common Cold Virus can Combat Brain Tumors

Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of brain cancer that affects astrocytes, a type of cells in the brain that supports neurons. It is difficult to treat, and a cure is often not possible. Treatments are aimed at slowing the progression of cancer. Phase 1 clinical trial results show that a common cold virus engineered to attack brain tumors increased the survival rate in twenty percent of recurrent glioblastoma patients. The engineered virus, Delta-24-RGD, added an extra three years or more to the overall survival time in these patients.