Radiotherapy for genes that cause cancer.

Abstract

Many approaches to cancer gene radiotherapy are possible. Even existing strategies, devised with other goals in mind, can cause radiosensitization by altering the intrinsic radiosensitivity of tumour cells or by modifying the tumour microenvironment. Small increases in the levels of radiosensitization could, over a fractionated radiation course, have major effects on the probability of tumour cure. The clinical application of gene radiotherapy will require use of in vivo gene delivery systems that still need validation but, because radiation is effective at decreasing tumour burden, genes will not have to be expressed in all cells in order to achieve a cure.