Gene therapy for prostate cancer.

The treatment options for the patient with advanced prostate cancer are limited. Due to the recent advances in the understanding of the molecular biology of prostate cancer, the easy accessibility of the gland for injection, and the availability of gene promoters that can provide tissue specific expression of therapeutic gene sequences, gene therapy for prostate cancer is rapidly advancing. Many potential approaches for prostate cancer gene therapy have been identified, with a few of these already entering Phase I clinical trials. This review will discuss the basis of prostate cancer gene therapy, look at the potential approaches, and will compare the different vectors that can be used to deliver the therapeutic genes to the prostate tumor.