Gene therapy of cancer.

There are several approaches to the gene therapy of cancer. Genes can be introduced into cancer cells to either sensitize them for killing by subsequent treatment with drugs, or to normalize their growth. In addition, genes can be added to tumor cells to provoke an accentuated immune response against these cells leading to cancer cell death. Alternatively, drug resistance genes can be added to bone marrow cells which make these cells more resistant to the toxic effects of chemotherapy, and thus allow higher doses of these drugs to be given without myelotoxicity and with potentially greater tumor kill. Although gene therapy of cancer is at an early stage of development, some of these strategies are being used in approved clinical trials in cancer patients.