Treatment of SCCVII tumors with systemic chemotherapy and Interleukin-12 gene therapy combination.

Cyclophosphamide and Interleukin-12 (IL-12) have been successfully used in clinical trials for treating malignancies. In this study, we explore the coadministration of cyclophosphamide and IL-12 plasmid DNA followed by electroporation for treating SCCVII in mice. Cyclophosphamide, IL-12 plasmid DNA, or a combination of both was injected intramuscularly in mice bearing SCCVII tumors. The tumor growth, survival, cytokine expression, cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity, and vascular density were analyzed. Coadministration of cyclophosphamide and IL-12 plasmid DNA via electroporation delays tumor growth and increases survival in mice. This combination therapy has great potential to be translated to a clinical setting for treating malignancies.