Gene therapy of cancer: induction of anti-tumor immunity.

Many malignancies lack satisfactory treatment and new therapeutic options are urgently needed. Gene therapy is a new modality to treat both inherited and acquired diseases based on the transfer of genetic material to the tissues. Different gene therapy strategies against cancers have been developed. A considerable number of preclinical studies indicate that a great variety of cancers are amenable to gene therapy. Among these strategies, induction of anti-tumor immunity is the most promising approach. Gene therapy with cytokines has reached unprecedented success in preclinical models of cancer. Synergistic rather than additive effects have been demonstrated by combination of gene transfer of cytokines/chemokines, costimulatory molecules or adoptive cell therapy. Recent progress in vector technology and in imaging techniques allowing in vivo assessment of gene expression will facilitate the development of clinical applications of gene therapy, a procedure which may have a notorious impact in the management of cancers lacking effective treatment.