Gene therapy

Cancer gene therapy is an emerging and exciting field in cancer therapeutics that offers promising treatments for both hematological and solid tumors. The goals of cancer gene therapy are to overexpress a desired protein, to restore normal cellular phenotype, to knockdown expression of a macromolecule, directly induce cancer cell death, or decrease the blood supply to a tumor. This chapter presents a review of genetic modification of vector mediated immunotherapy, specifically chimeric antigen receptor T cells, therapy targeting tumor destruction, and anti-angiogenic therapy. Suicide gene therapy utilizes genes that result in an active cytotoxic compound. The herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase/ganciclovir system is an example of oncolytic gene therapy. Gene therapy to deliver tumor suppressor genes has been the focus of much research over the last decade. The genes encode functional tumor suppressors and are incorporated in the site of neoplasia in order to restore their function and stop unregulated growth.

Duke Scholars

Author Mai ElMallah Pediatrics, Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine