Targeting therapeutic gene expression to human prostate cancers.
Most current therapies against human carcinoma of the prostate are palliative rather than curative. Thus, there is a pressing need for new therapies directed against this common tumor, based on knowledge of the basic biology of the prostate, rather than by extrapolation of treatments from other tumor types. This review presents the various levels of prostate targeting which could be and have been applied, at the attachment, expression and therapeutic gene levels to eliminate prostate carcinoma cells in extraprostatic sites. To achieve optimal and safe targeting, a combination approach will be necessary, as there are few genes whose expression can provide absolute prostate specificity.
Maitland
N J
NJ
YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5YW, UK. njm9@york.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D018390:Gene Targeting; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*