Gene therapy in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fifth cause of cancer death in the developed world. It is a highly malignant disease, characterised by aggressive local spread and early locoregional and hepatic metastasis. Surgery offers the only prospect of long-term survival, but the resectability ratio is very low at the time of diagnosis. Conventional chemo- and radiotherapy are relatively ineffective, that is why development of newer therapeutic alternatives are encouraged. Gene therapy came into the limelight of interest. Authors discuss the fundamental scientific principle and clinical experience in connection with gene therapy of pancreatic cancer. Different targets include antisense strategies, gene-replacement, gene-directed prodrug activation therapy, promoter gene strategies, as well as oncolytic viruses.