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Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma

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OncoLink Team
The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: May 7, 2013

Question

What results are you seeing in using gene therapy to treat mesothelioma?

Answer

The results of gene therapy trials for mesothelioma to date (from 1995 to the present) have shown that the delivery methods are safe, that we can get expression of the therapeutic genes within the tumor cells, and that we can induce some anti-tumor responses. The trials to date, however, have all been in the Phase I trials. Therefore, response rates, increases in survival, and other crucial questions still will await final analysis of current Phase II and future Phase III clinical trials.

You may be interested in Dr. Sterman's presentation about gene therapy for mesothelioma at the 2012 Focus on Mesothelioma conference.

This question and answer was part of the OncoLink Brown Bag Chat Series. View the entire Focus on Mesothelioma transcript.