Personalizing oncolytic virotherapy.

The use of oncolytic viruses has become an attractive tool in the clinics for the treatment of various tumor types. Such viruses are genetically modified to conditionally replicate in malignant cells while unharming healthy cells. This platforms offers a highly specific tumor killing with exceptional safety profiles. However, the use of oncolytic viruses as sole oncolytic platforms have rendered ineffective in tumor clearance in both murine models and in the clinics. In fact, the formation of anti-tumor immune responses attributes to most of the anti-tumor effects of oncolytic viruses. In this review we will discuss the various strategies scientists have employed to enhance the anti-tumor immune responses driven by oncolytic viruses. Moreover, a focus will be drawn into personalizing such anti-tumor responses by the addition of tumor associated peptides.