Combining a Virus and Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer in Dogs
Soft-tissue sarcomas are a common type of tumor found in dogs, which can arise in connective, muscle, or nervous tissues. These soft-tissue cancers typically require surgical removal, but often grow back if some cancer cells remain. Using a therapeutic virus could help to reduce the possibility of the tumor regrowing. However, no such viruses are available to treat dogs, and canine cancer cells can generate specific biomolecules, such as interferons, that inhibit viral replication. One option may be to co-treat the dogs with a drug that inhibits the action of interferons while administering the virus, to maximize the chances of success.
