Cancer gene therapy: fringe or cutting edge

Abstract

Direct targeting of cancer cells with gene therapy has the potential to treat cancer on the basis of its molecular characteristics. But although laboratory results have been extremely encouraging, many practical obstacles need to be overcome before gene therapy can fulfil its goals in the clinic. These issues are not trivial, but seem less formidable than the challenge of killing cancers selectively and rationally — a challenge that has been successfully addressed. 130 | NOVEMBER 2001 | VOLUME 1 www.nature.com/reviews/cancer R E V I E W S Gene therapy offers tremendous promise for the future of cancer treatment. This technology, more than any other, takes direct advantage of our new understanding of cancer at the molecular level and has been exploited to develop new strategies for killing cells selectively or arresting their growth. However, despite the promise of safe and rational treatment, many researchers have seri-ous doubts as to whether this is a viable approach. Is thi