Gene therapy for cancer

The basic strategies for gene therapy that have been explored include immun ogene therapy such as cytokine gene transfer, selective prodrug activation, so-called suicide genes, transfer of a tumor suppressor gene, and inhibiti on of activated oncogenes by antisense mechanisms. Many therapeutic protoco ls have so far been registered in the office of the Recombinant DNA Advisor y Committee, NIH, as of June 1999. Regarding the basic research in gene the rapy, we planned a clinical application of gene therapy for an esophageal c ancer patient at our institution. We review herein the present status of ge ne therapy for cancer overseas, and describe a protocol of clinical trials for gene therapy for esophageal cancer at our institution.