Oncolytic viruses in lung cancer: mechanisms of action and research progress.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, posing a profound public health challenge. Current primary therapeutic modalities-surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy-often exhibit limited efficacy, accompanied by frequent adverse events and treatment resistance. Oncolytic viruses (OVs), an emerging class of anti-cancer therapeutics, can infect and lyse cancer cells while their effects on normal tissues are generally limited. Leveraging OVs in lung cancer therapy holds substantial promise for improving patient survival outcomes. This review comprehensively examines the multifaceted anti-cancer mechanisms of OVs, including induction of apoptosis, immunogenic cell death, and neoantigen presentation. Additionally, it explores promising combinatorial strategies, such as OV-based immunotherapy and targeted therapies. By synthesizing current evidence, this review aims to inform the optimization of OV-based therapeutic regimens for lung cancer, ultimately enhancing patient survival and quality of life while addressing limitations of conventional treatments.