Current progress in the gene therapy of cancer

Gene transfer for the treatment of cancer is a rapidly expanding field. Recent studies can be divided into four main areas: 1) transfer of suicide genes that convert inactive prodrugs into cytotoxic compounds, 2) transfer of genes encoding cytokines and stimulatory markers to enhance immunogenicity against tumors, 3) transfer of tumor-suppressor genes to block tumor cell proliferation, and 4) transfer of drug resistance genes into hematopoietic stem cells to increase their resistance to myelo-suppressive chemotherapeutic agents. This review discusses recent advances in technique and knowledge and their application to the gene therapy of cancer.