open access
Cancer gene therapy – state-of-the-art
open access
Abstract
A number of gene therapy clinical trials are being carried out the world over. Gene therapy is being applied in (I) cancer diseases, involving the largest number of patients, (II) monogenic diseases, (III) infectious diseases, (IV) vascular diseases, (V) autoimmune diseases and others. In the last decade, several strategies of cancer gene therapy have emerged due to a rapid development of gene delivery systems, both viral (recombinant retroviruses, adenoviruses, AAVs, herpes viruses) and nonviral (liposomes, gene guns, electroporation). To date four main strategies of cancer gene therapy have been evaluated in clinical trials: (I) immunogene therapy, (II) suicide gene therapy, (III) antiangiogenic gene therapy, (IV) and administration of tumour suppressor genes.
These strategies mostly involve: malignant melanoma, prostate cancer, renal cell cancer, colon cancer, breast and ovarian cancers, lung cancers, neoplastic diseases of the blood and brain tumours.
At the Department of Cancer Immunology at the GreatPoland Cancer Center Gene Modified Tumour Vaccine has been tested in malignant melanoma patients for more than six years. Due to encouraging results from phase I and II of clinical trials a phase III was designed and will be started in 2003.
Abstract
A number of gene therapy clinical trials are being carried out the world over. Gene therapy is being applied in (I) cancer diseases, involving the largest number of patients, (II) monogenic diseases, (III) infectious diseases, (IV) vascular diseases, (V) autoimmune diseases and others. In the last decade, several strategies of cancer gene therapy have emerged due to a rapid development of gene delivery systems, both viral (recombinant retroviruses, adenoviruses, AAVs, herpes viruses) and nonviral (liposomes, gene guns, electroporation). To date four main strategies of cancer gene therapy have been evaluated in clinical trials: (I) immunogene therapy, (II) suicide gene therapy, (III) antiangiogenic gene therapy, (IV) and administration of tumour suppressor genes.
These strategies mostly involve: malignant melanoma, prostate cancer, renal cell cancer, colon cancer, breast and ovarian cancers, lung cancers, neoplastic diseases of the blood and brain tumours.
At the Department of Cancer Immunology at the GreatPoland Cancer Center Gene Modified Tumour Vaccine has been tested in malignant melanoma patients for more than six years. Due to encouraging results from phase I and II of clinical trials a phase III was designed and will be started in 2003.
Keywords
cancer gene therapy; viral vectors; immnotherapy; antiangiogeic therapy; suicide therapy
About this articleTitle
Cancer gene therapy – state-of-the-art
Journal
Reports of Practical Oncology and Radiotherapy
Issue
Pages
149-155
Published online
2002-01-01
DOI
10.1016/S1507-1367(02)70989-9
Bibliographic record
Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2002;7(4):149-155.
Keywords
cancer gene therapy
viral vectors
immnotherapy
antiangiogeic therapy
suicide therapy
Authors
Piotr J. Wysocki
Małgorzata Mackiewicz-Wysocka
Andrzej Mackiewicz