Scientists at the National Cancer Institute are heralding what they call the first successful gene therapy experiment in cancer after curing two men with advanced melanoma. Genetically altered immune cells wiped out all signs of the cancer in the two men, though they did not help 15 other volunteers in the experiment. This is the first time, they say, that gene therapy for cancer has worked at an advanced stage of the lethal disease. And new gene therapy trials are being planned for advanced breast cancer and colon cancer. Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society called it an exciting "proof of concept" that the therapy will work.
- read the AP report [1] on the experiment
Links:
[1] http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060831/ap_on_he_me/cancer_gene_therapy