Zhou XL, Chen F, Guo KB. Letter to the Editor: Reovirus as an immunomodulatory adjuvant in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer - translational insights and future directions. World J Clin Oncol 2026; 17(6): 119152 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.119152]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Kai-Bo Guo, MD, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, No. 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China. guokaibo@zcmu.edu.cn
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Immunology
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letter
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Zhou XL, Chen F, Guo KB. Letter to the Editor: Reovirus as an immunomodulatory adjuvant in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer - translational insights and future directions. World J Clin Oncol 2026; 17(6): 119152 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.119152]
World J Clin Oncol. Jun 24, 2026; 17(6): 119152 Published online Jun 24, 2026. doi: 10.5306/wjco.119152
Letter to the Editor: Reovirus as an immunomodulatory adjuvant in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer - translational insights and future directions
Xin-Lei Zhou, Fan Chen, Kai-Bo Guo
Xin-Lei Zhou, The Third Clinical Medical School, The Rehabilitation Medical School, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Fan Chen, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine), Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Kai-Bo Guo, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-first authors: Xin-Lei Zhou and Fan Chen.
Author contributions: Zhou XL and Chen F contributed to writing - original draft, and they contributed equally to this work and share first authorship; Guo KB contributed to writing - review and editing. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
AI contribution statement: DeepL/ChatGPT was used for preliminary translation assistance and language optimization. The entire text (abstract and conclusion) or a part of it is not generated by AI. AI tools are strictly used for language polishing and translation. It is crucial that every AI assisted sentence is manually reviewed and modified by the author. AI tools were not involved in the design of the research or the interpretation of the results. Any images in the manuscript are not generated by AI.
Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China, No. ZCLQ24H2901; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82405093; Medical and Health Technology Program of Zhejiang Province, China, No. 2024KY1328; and Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Program of Zhejiang Province, China, No. 2024ZL712.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Kai-Bo Guo, MD, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, No. 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China. guokaibo@zcmu.edu.cn
Received: January 22, 2026 Revised: March 10, 2026 Accepted: April 20, 2026 Published online: June 24, 2026 Processing time: 153 Days and 1.9 Hours
Abstract
The recent study by Zweig et al published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology highlights the promising role of reovirus in modulating key signaling pathways and cytokine profiles in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with KRAS mutations. Their findings demonstrate significant alterations in gene expression (e.g., signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta) and cytokine dynamics (e.g. vascular endothelial growth factor suppression, interferon-gamma elevation), suggesting reovirus-induced antitumor immunity. While these results underscore reovirus’s potential as a therapeutic adjuvant, critical questions remain regarding its long-term efficacy, optimal dosing, and synergy with existing therapies. This letter discusses the translational implications of these findings, emphasizing the need for larger clinical cohorts, tumor microenvironment-focused analyses, and combinatorial strategies with immune checkpoint inhibitors to maximize therapeutic impact. Addressing these gaps could accelerate reovirus’s integration into personalized oncology regimens for KRAS-driven malignancies.
Core Tip: This study discussed that reovirus affects gene expression and cytokine secretion by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B and other signaling pathways, thereby regulating the immune system and ultimately exerting an anti-KRAS mutant colon cancer effect. The letter proposes to more accurately elucidate the local immune regulation mechanism of reovirus through large-scale, multi-center randomized controlled trials, combined with tumor microenvironment analysis and combined immunotherapy design, and enrich experimental analysis methods, laying a good foundation for clinical application of reovirus.
