Virus found that helps fight skin cancer

Breakthrough in oncology: common virus increases the effectiveness of treatment for deadly skin cancer

Researchers at Oxford University have made a sensational discovery: the widespread cytomegalovirus (CMV) can significantly improve the results of melanoma treatment - one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer. Surprisingly, the virus also helps reduce the risk of serious side effects of therapy. The revolutionary research results have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Medicine.

CMV is a virus that is asymptomatically present in 50-60% of the adult population in the UK. In people with normal immunity, it remains in an inactive state, however, as it turns out, it has a significant impact on the functioning of the immune system.

The large-scale study involved 341 patients diagnosed with melanoma who were undergoing immunotherapy - a modern treatment method that activates the body's own defenses in the fight against tumors. Melanoma, especially in late stages, is considered one of the most difficult types of cancer to treat. Despite the fact that immunotherapy increases chances of survival, it is not effective for all patients, and some suffer from severe side effects.

The study showed striking results: patients who tested positive for CMV showed a significantly better response to PD-1 monotherapy - a drug that blocks a protein that prevents the immune system from recognizing cancer cells. This group of patients also less frequently developed serious complications, including inflammation of the colon (colitis), and had a lower probability of disease recurrence.

The scientific team plans to continue research to confirm the results on larger patient samples. Scientists intend to comprehensively evaluate the possibility of using CMV infection as a tool to increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy and develop safer approaches to cancer treatment.