Tumor-attacking virus strikes with 'one-two punch'

(Ohio State University Medical Center) Ohio State University cancer researchers developed a tumor-attacking virus that kills brain-tumor cells and blocks tumor blood-vessel growth.

The research shows that viruses designed to kill cancer cells -- oncolytic viruses -- might be more effective against aggressive brain tumors if they can also inhibit blood-vessel growth.

The study showed that an oncolytic virus containing the gene for this protein, called vasculostatin, eliminated human glioblastoma tumors growing in some animals and significantly slowed tumor recurrence in others.