Cancer gene therapy: fringe or cutting edge?
Direct targeting of cancer cells with gene therapy has the potential to treat cancer on the basis of its molecular characteristics. But although laboratory results have been extremely encouraging, many practical obstacles need to be overcome before gene therapy can fulfil its goals in the clinic. These issues are not trivial, but seem less formidable than the challenge of killing cancers selectively and rationally--a challenge that has been successfully addressed.
McCormick
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University of California San Francisco, Cancer Research Institute, 94115, USA. mccormick@cc.ucsf.edu
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000235:genetics; D024201:Bystander Effect; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D016158:Genes, p53; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000639:trends; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017921:Mastadenovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D009857:Oncogenes; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014779:Virus Replication
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D004798:Enzymes; D011355:Prodrugs