AN OVERVIEW OF GENE-THERAPY APPROACHES TO NEUROLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES

Tumour development is a disease of both somatic and genetic origin. It originates from a combination of oncogene and tumour suppressor alter ations that force the cell into unprogrammed proliferation. It is reas onable to think that a genetic disease could be cured by gene therapy, and several strategies along this line are presently being employed. The use of retroviruses to carry 'suicide' genes has been the most suc cessful approach to date for the treatment of neurological malignancie s. The use of adenoviruses with deletions in the E1B region opens a ne w and elegant possibility for the destruction of tumours deficient in the p53 suppressor gene. Strategies based on the inhibition of angioge nesis are being developed, and those based on blockade of inducers of angiogenesis have given encouraging results in experimental animal mod els. However, gene therapy has not yet been able to permanently cure a human genetic disease, thereby creating a certain degree of caution a mong scientists and clinicians.