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.
MeSH terms
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Adoptive Transfer / methods
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Animals
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Apoptosis / genetics
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Apoptosis / immunology
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Cancer Vaccines / genetics
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Cancer Vaccines / immunology
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Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use
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Clinical Trials as Topic
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Cytokines / genetics
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Cytokines / immunology
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Genes, Transgenic, Suicide / genetics
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Genes, Transgenic, Suicide / immunology
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Genes, Tumor Suppressor
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Genetic Therapy / methods*
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Genetic Vectors / genetics
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Genetic Vectors / immunology
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Humans
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Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Lung Neoplasms / genetics
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Lung Neoplasms / immunology
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Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
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Mesothelioma / diagnosis
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Mesothelioma / genetics
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Mesothelioma / immunology
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Mesothelioma / therapy*
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Pleural Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Pleural Neoplasms / genetics
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Pleural Neoplasms / immunology
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Pleural Neoplasms / therapy*
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Prognosis
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RNA, Antisense / genetics
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RNA, Antisense / immunology
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Viruses / genetics
Substances
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Cancer Vaccines
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Cytokines
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RNA, Antisense