title: Genetic cancer vaccines: current status and perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent approval of the first therapeutic cancer vaccine by the US Regulatory Agency represents a breakthrough event in the history of cancer treatment. The past scepticism towards this type of therapeutic intervention is now replaced by great expectations. The field is now moving towards the development of alternative vaccination technologies, which are capable of generating stronger, more durable and efficient immune responses against specific tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) in combination with cheaper and more standardised manufacturing.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this context, genetic vaccines are emerging among the most promising methodologies. Several evidences point to combinations of different genetic immunisation modalities (heterologous prime/boost) as a powerful approach to induce superior immune responses and achieve greater clinical efficacy. In this review, we provide an overview of the current status of development of genetic cancer vaccines with particular emphasis on adenoviral vector prime/DNA boost vaccination schedules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that therapeutic genetic cancer vaccines have the strong potential to become an established therapeutic modality for cancer in next coming years, in a manner similar to what have now become monoclonal antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Takis, via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy. Aurisicchio@takis-it.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aurisicchio
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciliberto
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA