Gene Therapy for Cancer

The possibility of treating cancer, a disease frequently defined bygenetic defects, by introducing genes that target these veryalterations has generated tremendous enthusiasm. This enthusiasm,however, has been tempered by an increasing number of obstacles tosuccessful therapy, including vector systems that do not reach systemicmetastases, therapeutic genes with redundant mechanisms allowing forcellular resistance, and toxicities in clinical trials that result inpremature closure. The three comprehensive sections of this volumepresent currently available cancer gene therapy techniques, withspecific attention to these trouble spots. Part I describes the variousaspects of gene delivery including vehicles, or vectors, and theirrespective characteristics and production methods. In Part II, thecontributors discuss strategies and targets for the treatment ofcancer, including methods for cell-death therapies, correction ofunderlying genetic defects at the molecular level, and activation ofthe immune system or tumor microenvironment. The contributors provide asuccinct framework for understanding the basic underlying oncogenicchanges, which encourages the development of vectors engineered toexploit these gene mutations through selective spread of the vector intumor cells with the specific changes. Finally, in Part III, experts inclinical gene therapy trials discuss the difficulties inherent inbringing gene therapy treatment for cancer to the clinic, and principalinvestigators present gene therapy approaches in the clinical testingstage and the results that have reached the stage of clinicaltesting.of these trials.The three sections of this volume present currently available cancer gene therapy techniques. Part I describes the various aspects of gene delivery. In Part II, the contributors discuss strategies and targets for the treatment of cancer. Finally, in Part III, experts discuss the difficulties inherent in bringing gene therapy treatment for cancer to the clinic. This book will prove valuable as the volume of preclinical and clinical data continues to increase.