The immunotherapy of prostate cancer

Advanced prostate cancer remains incurable with standard treatment options. Immunotherapy may be a realistic alternative given the growing evidence th at the immune response can affect the growth of other solid tumours and the regulation of both specific and shared prostate cancer antigens. Early stu dies suggest that both non-specific and specific vaccines can effect releva nt animal models and clinical trials based on these observations are now in progress. A number of other approaches including gene therapy with HSVtk a re already undergoing clinical studies (Herman et al. Hum Gene Ther 1999; 1 0: 1239-1249).