TARGETING CANCER STEM CELLS USING ONCOLYTIC ADENOVIRUSES

Cancer stem cells play a significant role in both cancer resurgence and progression. Because of this, it is essential to target cancer stem cells when treating cancer. Unfortunately, these cells can evade the cytotoxic effects of standard cancer therapeutics such as chemo- and radiotherapy. Oncolytic adenoviruses have emerged as a therapeutic that is capable of successfully eliminating cancer stem cells. These viruses can be engineered to target specific cell surface markers on the surface of cancer stem cells for infection. After infection, they can hijack the cell’s replication machinery to produce new progeny that will eventually lyse the cell. There are limitations to this therapeutic, most importantly that these viruses cannot hide themselves from the host’s immune system that recognizes them as a threat and eliminates them. However, various studies have provided encouraging results that demonstrate the effectiveness of these adenoviruses both in vitro and in vivo when injected intratumorally