title: Adenoviral gene therapy in head and neck cancer.
abstract: Despite advances in surgical techniques, improvement in radiation therapy and the addition of new biological agents such as cetuximab to traditional chemotherapy, the median survival of patients with head and neck cancer has changed little over the past few decades. However, recent advances in the fundamental understanding of head and neck cancer biology suggest that targeting molecular pathways underlying carcinogenesis may provide alternative or additional approaches to the treatment of head and neck cancer. Viruses, particularly adenoviruses, have been critical in the application and development of these molecular approaches. Adenoviruses have been engineered to function as vectors for delivering therapeutic genes for gene therapy. The purpose of this review is to provide a prospective on the use of adenoviruses in head and neck cancer therapy by examining clinical trials of adenovirus-mediated p53 gene therapy and by reviewing the application of a promising oncolytic adenovirus, ONYX-015, in head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vattemi
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Claudio
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D050130:Oncolytic Virotherapy; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014765:Viral Vaccines
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C464532:dl1520