Gene Therapy for Mesothelioma

Genes are the blueprints for cell design in our bodies.  Since DNA and RNA have been identified much has been learned about the functions of genes and how they can be altered.  Scientists have also learned that gene mutation can be caused by a number of environmental factors.  Faulty genes can deliver faulty instructions to growing cells, leading to mutations that can seriously affect health.  Smoking, overexposure to the sun, exposure to toxic chemicals and substances can all cause damage to DNA that result in faulty genetic behavior.

In the case of mesothelioma, exposure to asbestos is the environmental factor that leads to development of this lethal cancer.  There can also be a natural genetic predisposition to mesothelioma cancer however, and smoking has proven to be an additional aggravating factor for the disease.  Mesothelioma can have multiple types of gene damage contributing to its development and complicating attempts to develop genetic science that will help control or cure the disease.

• Anti-angiogenesis medication is one promising form of gene therapy.  This treatment involves introducing genes into the body that inhibit the development of blood vessels feeding the tumor, thus "starving" the cancer and either slowing its growth or killing it.
  
• One of the characteristics of cancer cells is that they grow rapidly and reproduce by dividing.  Gene therapy research has targeted this function by trying to develop a gene that in effect 'replaces' the faulty gene allowing this growth in cancerous cells, thus slowing or halting the growth of tumors.
  
• A third approach has been the development of genes that are introduced into the body as replacements for genes in cancer cells.  The altered cells are then rendered susceptible to certain types of anti-cancer medication, the defense mechanisms for those cells rendered useless.  This approach creates so-called "suicide cells" that expose themselves to eradication.

The use of gene therapy for mesothelioma is still a subject for research rather than established treatment procedures.  The theory of gene therapy seems to align itself well with cancer treatment, however the fact that mesothelioma is a "multifactorial" disease with several contributing factors along with asbestos requires multi-faceted treatment.  Gene therapy may prove to be most effective when utilized in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, providing an attack on the cancerous tissue with several approaches.

An ongoing research project in Germany has shown good results in experiments with lab animals.  These tests utilized several gene alteration protocols, some of which showed tangible results.  Project scientists reported shrinkage in mesothelioma tumors; they noted as well that the doubling of mesothelioma cells took twice as long after treatment.  Life expectancy was also extended by about forty percent.

The FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is charged with oversight on all gene therapy research conducted in the United States.  There are numerous products developed by drug research companies for use in gene therapy that have been submitted for review.  None have proceeded to the clinical trial stage yet.

According to the FDA, they have "... not yet approved any human gene therapy product for sale. However, the amount of gene-related research and development occurring in the United States continues to grow at a fast rate and FDA is actively involved in overseeing this activity. FDA has received many requests from medical researchers and manufacturers to study gene therapy and to develop gene therapy products..."