Taking Gene Therapy into the Clinic

Gene therapy represents a promising novel treatment strategy for colorectal cancer. Preclinical data has been encouraging and several clinical trials are underway. Many phase 1 trials have proven the safety of the reagents but have yet to demonstrate significant therapeutic benefit. Ongoing efforts are being made to improve the efficiency of gene delivery and accuracy of gene targeting with the aim of enhancing antitumor potency. It is envisaged that gene therapy will be used in combination with other therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to facilitate the improvements in cancer treatments in the future.