Abstract
Cancer is a complex acquired disease that affects millions of individuals each year. Underlying the pathogenesis of cancer are a variety of molecular genetic abnormalities which can be inherited or environmentally induced and result in unregulated cell proliferation. Conventional treatment strategies used to treat cancer: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have been only partially successful and new treatment options are critically needed. Gene therapy is currently being explored experimentally as an alternative or addition to established treatment options for malignant melanoma, leukemia, glioma, and others. The aim of this therapy is the introduction of a gene or genes into cells to provide a new set of permanent or temporary instructions for those cells resulting in the indirect elimination or direct killing of tumor cells. Indirect approaches to the treatment of cancer by gene therapy include the augmentation of the immune system; direct approaches include restoration of the normal function of a mutated tumor suppressor gene or expression of a tumoricidal gene. This review will describes these and other strategies.
In partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. requirements in the Graduate Genetics Program at The George Washington University.
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Zullo, S.A., Caplen, N.J., Blaese, R.M. (1998). Gene Therapy for Cancer. In: Xanthopoulos, K.G. (eds) Gene Therapy. NATO ASI Series, vol 105. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72160-1_14
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