[Perspectives on postgenome medicine: Gene therapy for esophageal cancer]

Despite improvements in perioperative treatment and surgical techniques, rapid recurrence led to death of many patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Since surgical resection alone rarely results in long term survival, efforts now are focused on combined multi modality treatment in an attempt to improve local control and eliminate micro metastasis present at time of surgery. We have reported that the importance of alteration of p53 gene in progression and prognosis of esophageal cancer. P53 molecule of solid tumors has been shown to play an important role in the response to DNA damage induced by chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy, including induction of apoptosis. Based on the research of p53 gene therapy for esophageal cancer, we applied clinical study in 1997. After intensive reference, phase study was accepted in May, 2000. Phase I/II study will start on October 2000.