Treatment of a stage III rima glottidis patient with the oncolytic virus Rigvir: A retrospective case report

Abstract

RATIONALE: Of all the parts of the larynx, the glottis has the highest frequency of cancer. With disease progression, the vocal cord movement is affected and for advanced stages its anatomical and functional preservation is rarely achievable, if at all. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here we describe a 72-year-old patient who presented with hoarseness for a year and was only able to whisper. DIAGNOSIS: A computed tomography (CT) scan of the vocal cords (without contrast) showed higher density tissue. Histological examination disclosed a well-differentiated verrucous squamous cell carcinoma of the glottis. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with the oncolytic ECHO-7 virus Rigvir without any of the standard treatments. OUTCOMES: As shown by CT scans, the patient has been stabilized, and the laryngeal functions are preserved with the virotherapy still ongoing. The patient was diagnosed over 4.2 years ago. LESSONS: Considering the present patient being treated with Rigvir without any standard treatment, the results suggest that Rigvir therapy could be a possible treatment for glottic cancer.