title: Oncolytic biotherapy: a novel therapeutic plafform.
abstract: There is a clear need for new, selective, cancer treatments that do not cause the cross-resistance which occurs with currently available chemotherapeutic agents. Gene therapy is a promising approach, but to date, it has shown limited effectiveness in clinical trials because of insufficient gene transduction. Many investigators are now revisiting the 'old' idea of using tumour-specific, replication-selective viruses or bacteria to treat cancer. These agents can be directly oncolytic, but can also be used to simultaneously express therapeutic genes in target cells or induce tumour-specific, cell-mediated immunity. We discuss the promise of this rapidly evolving field and examine the potential barriers to its success.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College School of Medicine, Imperial Cancer Research Fund Programme for Viral and Genetic Therapy of Cancer, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lynda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Nick R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kirn
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000235:genetics; D014779:Virus Replication