p53-BASED GENE
THERAPY
(Advexin)
by: Hayley Shelby
The therapy
THERE ARE TWO CURRENT TYPES OF P53
THERAPY. THE FIRST INCLUDES A NORMAL P53 GENE
THAT IS PAIRED WITH A VIRAL VECTOR TO TARGET THE
MUTATED P53 GENE IN THE TUMOR. THE SECOND TYPE
USES ONYX-015, A TYPE OF COMMON COLD VIRUS. THE
P53 GENE IS A COMMON PREDATOR OF THE ONYX-015
AND WILL TRY AND KILL IT ALONG WITH CANCER
CELLS WHEN THEY ARE BOTH INJECTED INTO THE
TUMOR. BOTH OF THESE TREATMENTS INCLUDE
REGULAR CHEMOTHERAPY, BUT ACCORDING TO
RECENT TEST RESULTS WHEN PATIENTS USE THE
ADVEXIN THERAPY THE PATIENT HAS A HIGHER
CHANCE OF SURVIVING THE CANCER.
p53 protein
the P53 PROTEIN is IN THE NUCLEUS
OF THE CELL AND REGLATES CELL
DIVISION AND DEATH. WHEN THE CELL
MUTATES, THE P53 PROTEIN STOPS THE
DIVISION OF THE CELL SO THAT THE
MUTATED DNA DOESN’T SPREAD. WHEN
THE P53 PROTEIN ITSELF MUTATES THERE
IS GENERALLY A TUMOR FORMING. THIS
IS WHEN THE ADVEXIN THERAPY COMES
INTO PLAY.
example
IN ONE CASE STUDY DONE BY MASSIMO
CRISTOFANILLI, M.D., AN ASSOCITATE PROFESSOR IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF BREAST MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, 12
PATIENTS WITH 8 CENTEMETER TUMORS IN THEIR
BREASTS and injected p53. THE TUMORS ALL
SHRUNK MORE THAN 50% TO ABOUT 1.25
CENTEMETERS. THE LYMPHNODES ALSO SHRUNK. THIS
DECREASE IN SIZE GAVE MANY OF THE PATIENTS A
CHANCE TO GET A LUMPECTOMY AND JUST REMOVE
THE TUMOR AND NOT THE WHOLE BREAST. THE
REMOVED TUMORS SHOWED A PRESENCE OF CANCER
FIGHTING CELLS AND “AN INCREASE IN THE p53
PROTEIN THAT GUARDS AGAINST CANCER
DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION” (ANDERSON).
A damaged cell
“image a” shows a
new tumor cell that
was released to
something like
radiation that mutated
their p53 gene, damaged
the DNA of the cell, and
started creating more
damaged cells through
the cell cycle. These
new cells are what
make up a tumor.
“Image a”
www.carcinoma-online.com/english/pathobio11_2.gif
Bad aspects
•p53 is a new process, there is no number available
on how much it will cost.
•The process of injecting the P53 gene is followed by
regular chemotherapy which turns some people
off because they believe they will have the same
chances with a commonly therapy.
•According to hyscience.com “researchers
studying p53 function in fruit flies, and reporting
in Current Biology, Vol. 15, 2063-2068, November 22,
2005, have shown new evidence that despite the
protective role of p53 as a guardian against tumor
formation, normal levels of p53 activity--at least in
some cell types--may indeed contribute to aging
and decreased lifespan”.
One effective
Advexin usage
as a story states on cancerwise.com two
people who had tumors in their lungs that were
no longer responsive to chemo or surgery, were
offered an experimental treatment to fill their
lungs with cancer fighting/destroying p53 genes.
“This gene, which normally acts to suppress
uncontrolled cell growth, is missing or mutated
in about half of human cancers, and
dysfunctional in most of the rest”. They also
added a common cold vector to bring the p53
into the cancer cell. With two injections two
weeks apart of the gene and six weeks of
radiation Both of the tumors were destroyed.
WORKS CITED
•M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, University Of Texas.
"Novel P53 Gene-based Therapy Boosts Immune System
And Reduces Tumor Size." ScienceDaily 10 December
2004. 31 March 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2004/12/041209000043.htm>.
•Plus other sources mentioned in the project