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Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

¹ Thoracic Oncology Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Steven M. Albelda, M.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1016B Abramson Research Center, 3615 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104-6160. E-mail: albelda{at}mail.med.upenn.edu

Abstract

Both malignant pleural mesothelioma and advanced stage lung cancer are associated with a poor prognosis. Unfortunately, current treatment regimens have had only a modest effect on their progressive course. Gene therapy for thoracic malignancies represents a novel therapeutic approach and has been evaluated in a number of clinical trials over the last two decades. Using viral vectors or anti-sense RNA, strategies have included induction of apoptosis, tumor suppressor gene replacement, suicide gene expression, cytokine-based therapy, various vaccination approaches, and adoptive transfer of modified immune cells. This review will consider the clinical results, limitations, and future directions of gene therapy trials for thoracic malignancies.

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