Lung cancer is one of the most serious threats to human health worldwide, and the covid-19 virus has become people's worst dread since the coronavirus pandemic. There are numerous similarities between cancer cells and viruses, the most significant of which being that both are our adversaries. Oncolytic virotherapy refers to the strategy of using viruses to fight cancer cells. When immunotherapy in the form of immune checkpoint inhibitors has made significant advances in the clinical practice of lung cancer, the induction of antitumor immunity from immune cells has gradually become a rapidly developing and promising cancer therapy strategy. Oncolytic virotherapy is based on the same mechanisms that selectively kill tumor cells and induce systemic anti-tumor immunity, but it is still a long way from becoming a standard treatment for lung cancer. This article provides an in-depth review of the most recent advances in oncolytic virotherapy for lung cancer, including the specific mechanism of oncolytic virus therapy and the main types of oncolytic viruses, as well as the combination of oncolytic virotherapy and existing standard treatments. Its goal is to provide fresh perspectives and ideas on oncolytic virotherapy for lung cancer.
