A successful combination of gene therapy and cyclophosphamide (original) (raw)

During the last two decades, a number of immunotherapy-based strategies for advanced gastrointestinal carcinomas (GICs) has given promising results, not only at preclinical stage but also in the clinic. 1 However, immunotherapeutic approaches have to face an important obstacle: the ability of tumor cells to evade immune attack. 2 Several immunosuppres-sive mechanisms elicited by cancer cells have been identified in animal models and in patients including: 1 loss of MHC Class I molecules from the surface of tumor cells, 2 increased oxidative stress and 3 recruit-ment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs). A correlation between increased levels of these immunosuppressive cell populations and poor prognosis has been observed in many types of cancer. 3 Increasing evidence suggests that immune responses are involved in the con-trol of cancer and that the immune system can be manipulated in different ways to recognize and fight cancer cells. The sys-te...