Overview

• Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a virus that is of interest because it replicates (makes copies of itself) more quickly in human cancer cells than in most normal human cells and because it can kill these host cells (see Question 1).

• NDV can be used to directly kill cancer cells, or it can be given as a cancer vaccine. Cancer vaccines cause the body’s natural immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells (see Question 4).

• The results of clinical trials (research studies with people) of NDV as a cancer treatment have not proved that it works (see Question 6).

• The US Food and Drug Administration has not approved NDV as a treatment for cancer (see Question 8).