The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the treatment of tumor and/or malignant and/or cancerous cells. The present invention provides VSV vectors comprising nucleic acid encoding a cytokine, such as interleukin or interferon, or a suicide gene, such as thymidine kinase, or other biological protein, such as heat shock protein gp96, or endostatin or angiostatin, wherein said VSV vectors exhibit greater oncolytic activity against the tumor and/or malignant and/or cancerous cell than a wild-type VSV vector. The present invention also provides methods of making such vectors, host cells, expression systems, and compositions comprising such VSV vectors, and viral particles comprising such VSV vectors. The present invention also provides methods for producing oncolytic activity in a tumor and/or malignant and/or cancerous cell comprising contacting said cell with a VSV vector of the present invention. The present invention also provides methods for suppressing tumor growth comprising contacting said tumor with a VSV vector of the present invention. The present invention also provides methods for eliciting an immune response to a tumor cell in an individual.
