Gene therapy of malignant tumors

New techniques in molecular biology and increasing insights in the genetic basis of tumorigenesis led to the development of therapeutic agents composed of genetic information. The majority of gene therapy trials is targeted towards cancer therapy. The most frequently used strategy is immunotherapy which comprises transfer of genes encoding cytokines, costimulatory molecules or tumorspecific antigens to enable cells of the immune system to identify and destroy tumor cells. The second important strategy makes use of suicide genes to selectively kill tumor cells. Compensation of genetic defects by the downregulation of activated oncogenes or the restoration of tumor suppressor gene functions is the third concept to revert the malignant phenotype of cancer cells.