[Perspectives on postgenome medicine: Gene therapy for lung cancer]

Abstract

The gene therapy or the immunotherapy targeting specific molecule(s) have just introduced into the clinical field in Japan. The first gene therapy for the human lung cancer is underway; an adenoviral vector harboring wild type p53 gene is intratumorally injected. A cancer immunotherapy using the Cyclophilin B derived peptide is in the phase I clinical trial. As the next generation cancer therapies, a variety of strategies are planned and investigated at the laboratory level. They range from the usage of a new viral vector to the introduction of genes with specific biological functions into the cells. In this article, by reviewing the possible approach, an ideal combination of the future remedies is discussed.