Viral oncology

The fourth phase of viral oncology has seen the emergence of the revolutionary concept that RNA tumor viruses (oncornaviruses), like their DNA counterparts, contribute genetic information that becomes part of the genome of the affected host cell. With the latest development in viral oncology, tumor viruses have come to be considered more endogenous than exogenous to the hosts. 

Collaborative reseach and development is a category of work generally carried out through research contracts. The substantial increase in this category represents emphasis on research in viral oncology and in family planning and contraceptive technology. 

Design Criteria for Viral Oncology Research Facilities, Publ. No. (NIH) 75-891, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, D.C., 1975. 

For this text, and especially in Part 1,1 have drawn heavily on the publications of the National Institutes of Health. Some of the chapters in this part are based upon a safety manual developed by the National Cancer Institute for research in viral oncology these sections were extremely well written but, unfortunately, were not widely circulated. This material formed the core of the original manual and is still current. 

Tables 8.1 to 8.5 describe detailed washing procedures for various kinds of glassware that the author developed over a six-year period for a large organization performing research in viral oncology and cell and molecular biology. These procedures can be adapted for use in specialized laboratories that utilize other types of specialized glassware, such as fermentation vessels and Fembach flasks. Table 8.6 summarizes the steps needed in a typical glassware washing facility of a biomedical laboratory.

U.S. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health. 1983. Guide to Decontamination and Sterilization Procedures. Environmental Control Section, Office of Biohazards and Environmental Control, Viral Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Division of Safety. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. 

SAGs created to date Oncology, Diagnostics, Anti-Infectives, Diabetes/ Endocrinology, Cardiovascular Issues, Central Nervous System, HIV/Viral Diseases... 

The oncolytic viruses include adenovirus, measles, reovirus, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV),HSV,poxvirus, and vaccinia. Specific examples include (1) ONYX-015, which is an adenoviral oncolytic virus, administered to patients with liver metastases of colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer [29], (2) Reolysin, which is an oncolytic reovirus administered to patients with glioma [30], and (3) MV-CEA, which is an oncolytic measles virus expressing carcinoembryonic antigen, administered to patients with ovarian cancer [31]. Some oncolytic viruses are wild type and are apparently not pathogenic in humans, such as the Newcastle disease virus (NDV), which is an RNA avian paramyxovirus. PV701, a naturally attenuated, replication-competent strain of NDV, has been administered to patients with advanced solid tumors [32], The applicability of oncolytic viruses as a therapy for clinical oncology trials is due to their potential selectivity the ability to kill tumor cells but not normal cells. However, the level of attenuation of viral replication in normal cells is limited for most oncolytic vectors. 

Another useful aspect in oncology is the detection of tumor-assodated viruses, which are important for tumor diagnosis, therapy and dinical follow-up. Using specific primers and probes complementary to virus genomes, provide a powerful and sensitive method to detect many viral genes and oncogenes associated with different types of malignancies such as HPV, EBV, HHV-8 and HCV. 

Cassel WA Murray DR. Med Oncol Tumor Pharmacother 1992 9 169-71 Sinkovics JG Horvath JC. Viral Therapy Human Cancers. Marcel Dekker, NY 2005 Sinkovics JG Horvath JC Int J Oncology 2000 16 81-96 Arch Immun Therapy Experiment 2008 56S 1-59. 

Outside the oncology area, BET inhibitors showed promising results for the treatment of inflammatory disease as well as viral infection. It is therefore likely that the availability of selective BET inhibitors will initiate many more research activities in these disease areas and others in the future. 

Comins, C., Heinemann, L., Harrington, K., Melcher, A., DE Bono, J., and Pandha, H. 2008. Reovirus Viral therapy for cancer as natme intended . Clinical Oncology (R Coll Radiol), 20, 548-554. 

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