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Oncolytic virus combined with traditional treatment versus traditional treatment alone in patients with cancer: a meta-analysis

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International Journal of Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Oncolytic virus therapy has shown benefits for multiple cancers, while limitations remain for traditional treatment. However, few studies have concentrated on comparing whether oncolytic virus combined with traditional treatment is better than traditional treatment alone in patients with cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis of the curative effect and safety of oncolytic virus combination therapy.

Methods

We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases comprehensively for articles comparing oncolytic virus combined with traditional treatment to traditional treatment alone in patients with cancer. A meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis were performed.

Results

A total of 12 studies involving 1494 patients (combination therapy group, 820 patients; traditional treatment group, 674 patients) were included in the study. Compared with traditional treatment alone, combination therapy was significantly associated with high objective response rate [odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.82, p = 0.04]. There were no significant differences for other outcomes such as 1- and 2-year survival rate, and 4- and 12-month progression-free survival rate. Combination therapy was significantly associated with high incidence of grade ≥ 3 adverse effects (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.06–2.05, p = 0.02) and high incidence of grade ≥ 3 neutropenia (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.13–2.43, p = 0.01). There were no significant differences for other grade ≥ 3 adverse effects, e.g., gastrointestinal adverse effects, influenza-like illness, fatigue, anemia, and thrombocytopenia.

Conclusion

Despite partially increased toxicity, the combination therapy improves the effectiveness of cancer treatment. However, high-quality, large-scale studies are needed to evaluate its effectiveness and safety.

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Abbreviations

OR:

Odds ratio

ORR:

Objective response rate

OV:

Oncolytic virus

RIS:

Required information size

T-VEC:

Talimogene laherparepvec

TSA:

Trial sequential analysis

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2019YFC1316000), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (grant number 2015AA020405), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81672337), the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 81530079), the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 81830089), the Key research and development Project of Zhejiang Province (Grant number 2015C03044), the Zhejiang Provincial Program for the Cultivation of High-level Innovative Health Talents, and China Scholarship Council (Grant number 201706320169), Project of Medical and Health Technology Platform of Zhejiang Province (Grant No. 2019C03019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang Province, China

    Yuwei Li, Yinan Shen, Tianyu Tang, Zengwei Tang, Wei Song, Zifan Yang, Xiaozhen Zhang, Meng Wang, Xueli Bai & Tingbo Liang

  2. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Hangzhou, China

    Yuwei Li, Yinan Shen, Tianyu Tang, Zengwei Tang, Wei Song, Zifan Yang, Xiaozhen Zhang, Meng Wang, Xueli Bai & Tingbo Liang

  3. Innovation Center for the Study of Pancreatic Diseases, Hangzhou, China

    Yuwei Li, Yinan Shen, Tianyu Tang, Zengwei Tang, Wei Song, Zifan Yang, Xiaozhen Zhang, Meng Wang, Xueli Bai & Tingbo Liang

Authors
  1. Yuwei Li
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  2. Yinan Shen
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  3. Tianyu Tang
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  4. Zengwei Tang
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  5. Wei Song
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  6. Zifan Yang
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  7. Xiaozhen Zhang
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  8. Meng Wang
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  9. Xueli Bai
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  10. Tingbo Liang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Yuwei Li, Yinan Shen and Tianyu Tang contributed equally to this work. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xueli Bai or Tingbo Liang.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Li, Y., Shen, Y., Tang, T. et al. Oncolytic virus combined with traditional treatment versus traditional treatment alone in patients with cancer: a meta-analysis. Int J Clin Oncol 25, 1901–1913 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-020-01760-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-020-01760-4

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