attenuated recombinant viruses containing dna coding for a cytokine and / or a tumor associated antigen , as well as methods and compositions employing the viruses , are disclosed and claimed . the recombinant viruses can be nyvac or alvac recombinant viruses . the dna can code for at least on of : human tumor necrosis factor ; nuclear phosphoprotein p53 , wildtype or mutant ; human melanoma - associated antigen ; il - 2 ; ifng ; il - 4 ; gncsf ; il - 12 ; b7 ; erb - b - 2 and carcinoembryonic antigen . the recombinant viruses and gene products therefrom are useful for cancer therapy .