Adenovirus-derived vectors for prostate cancer gene therapy.
de Vrij J., Willemsen RA., Lindholm L., Hoeben RC., GIANT Consortium None., Bangma CH., Barber C., Behr J-P., Briggs S., Carlisle R., Cheng W-S., Dautzenberg IJC., de Ridder C., Dzojic H., Erbacher P., Essand M., Fisher K., Frazier A., Georgopoulos LJ., Jennings I., Kochanek S., Koppers-Lalic D., Kraaij R., Kreppel F., Magnusson M., Maitland N., Neuberg P., Nugent R., Ogris M., Remy J-S., Scaife M., Schenk-Braat E., Schooten E., Seymour L., Slade M., Szyjanowicz P., Totterman T., Uil TG., Ulbrich K., van der Weel L., van Weerden W., Wagner E., Zuber G.
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death among men in Western countries. Whereas the survival rate approaches 100% for patients with localized cancer, the results of treatment in patients with metastasized prostate cancer at diagnosis are much less successful. The patients are usually presented with a variety of treatment options, but therapeutic interventions in prostate cancer are associated with frequent adverse side effects. Gene therapy and oncolytic virus therapy may constitute new strategies. Already a wide variety of preclinical studies has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of such approaches, with oncolytic prostate-specific adenoviruses as the most prominent vector. The state of the art and future prospects of gene therapy in prostate cancer are reviewed, with a focus on adenoviral vectors. We summarize advances in adenovirus technology for prostate cancer treatment and highlight areas where further developments are necessary.