SAFETY AND TOXICITY OF CATHETER GENE DELIVERY TO THE PULMONARY VASCULATURE IN A PATIENT WITH METASTATIC MELANOMA

One approach to gene therapy for human cancer is transcatheter injecti on of DNA liposomes into tumor masses. To determine the feasibility of selective delivery of recombinant genes by a catheter to the pulmonar y vasculature in humans, a patient with melanoma received two treatmen ts of HLA-B7 plasmid DNA complexed to cationic liposomes into a right posterior basal pulmonary artery associated with a mass lesion. The tr eatments were well tolerated. No adverse respiratory, cardiac, immunol ogic, or other organ toxicities were detected. The delivery of recombi nant genes by catheter may be a useful modality to treat human maligna ncy and other diseases.