[Gene therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer liver metastases].
In the early 1990s gene therapy had the promise of a new therapeutic modality for many types of cancer including colorectal liver metastases. At the end of that decade the outlook was less encouraging following the death of a patient receiving adenovirus in Pennsylvania. Today the prospect is very bleak following the discovery of leukaemia in children treated for SCiD syndrome in France. Does this mean the start and fall of gene therapy? In this article the concept of gene therapy for colorectal liver metastases will be reviewed. Studies in this field will be cited. It is clear that there are several obstacles to surmount. It is difficult to foresee whether gene therapy will succeed in the clinics in patients with colorectal liver metastases. In this article the author will describe the systematic approach which might lead to success of gene therapy in these patients. In short, gene therapy so far has failed in patients with colorectal liver metastases. However it might succeed in the future. The jury is still out!
Department of Surgical Oncology and Technology, Imperial College Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, United Kingdom.
Nagy
N
Habib
Sven
S
Jensen
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005544:Forecasting; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D012449:Safety; D016511:Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / Q000628:therapy