Outcome of an advanced anaplastic astrocytoma patient treated with Newcastle disease viral (NDV) oncolytic therapy.
ABSTRACT
Background: Oncolytic viruses are increasingly recognized for their potential promise of lasting impact on our cancer treatment repertoire. The use of attenuated Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) against cancer was pioneered more than 40 years ago by Laszlo Csatary, a Virginia physician, who died March 20, 2012 at age 88. In 1968, Csatary used attenuated NDV as a cancer treatment. NDV, an RNA virus, shows tumor selectivity in its replication behavior in mammalian cells, including humans.
Methods: A.G., a 14-year-old boy, presented in September 1994 with a large left fronto-temporal mass. The tumor was debulked and he then received 56 Gy of radiation to the brain. Pathology indicated the tumor was a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). By November1995 there was local recurrence. Despite various chemotherapies, the cancer progressed. In May 1996 patient started on attenuated intravenous NDV in Budapest, Hungary. This was the only agent he received for the next 8 years.
Results: There was progressive shrinkage of the GBM resulting in complete disappearance at 1 year. The patient remains well with no evidence of tumor 16 years after the start of NDV.
Conclusions: NDV was able to eradicate GBM in this seemingly hopeless situation and merits further evaluation in this and other cancers.