Gene Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Alternative treatments for prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in men, are constantly being researched and developed. While a few of these new approaches, including gene therapy, may have a future, as of now, none of them has been proven fully safe or effective. With no proven track record, it is important to be as educated as possible about this investigational therapy before considering it as a treatment option.

• Prostate cancer is a leading cancer among men.

History

• The first successful clinical trial of gene therapy, also nicknamed suicide therapy, was led by Dr. Peter T. Scardino in the 1990s at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Today, only a handful of university labs are pursuing the treatment. It has primarily been relegated to small cancers or as a plan B treatment for the recurrence of prostate cancer after radiation therapy.

The Facts

• Prostate cells become cancerous due to gene changes within the cells. During gene therapy, a virus is injected into the cancer cells, leaving behind a gene called thymidine kinase, or TK. When the antiviral drug ganciclovir is later administered, the genetically changed cells cause the drug to be far more potent as a cancer killer.

The Disadvantages

• One of the primary disadvantages of gene therapy is that not all of the cancerous cells are able to be injected. Working with viruses may have unforeseen consequences for the medical personnel involved. Also, the therapy and its research are extremely expensive and unprofitable.

The Advantages

• So far, gene therapy appears to be safe. The injected viruses do not travel to other parts of the body. They do not infect the normal prostate gland, nor do they infect the sperm.

Where to Find Clinical Trials

• For patients interested in gene therapy, there are several facilities in the United States that are running clinical trials. These centers include John Hopkins University School of Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Duke University Medical Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York City), Vanderbilt University Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center.