Editing Experimental cancer treatment (section)

==Gene therapy==
{{Further|Virotherapy|Oncolytic virus}}

Introduction of [[tumor suppressor gene]]s into rapidly dividing cells has been thought to slow down or arrest tumor growth. [[Adenoviridae|Adenoviruses]] are a commonly utilized vector for this purpose. Much research has focused on the use of adenoviruses that cannot reproduce, or reproduce only to a limited extent, within the patient to ensure safety via the avoidance of [[lytic cycle|cytolytic]] destruction of noncancerous cells infected with the vector. However, new studies focus on adenoviruses that can be permitted to reproduce, and destroy cancerous cells in the process, since the adenoviruses' ability to infect normal cells is substantially impaired, potentially resulting in a far more effective treatment.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rein DT, Breidenbach M, Curiel DT | title = Current developments in adenovirus-based cancer gene therapy | journal = Future Oncology | volume = 2 | issue = 1 | pages = 137–43 | date = February 2006 | pmid = 16556080 | pmc = 1781528 | doi = 10.2217/14796694.2.1.137 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kanerva A, Lavilla-Alonso S, Raki M, Kangasniemi L, Bauerschmitz GJ, Takayama K, Ristimäki A, Desmond RA, Hemminki A | title = Systemic therapy for cervical cancer with potentially regulatable oncolytic adenoviruses | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 3 | issue = 8 | pages = e2917 | date = August 2008 | pmid = 18698374 | pmc = 2500220 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0002917 | bibcode = 2008PLoSO...3.2917K | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Another use of gene therapy is the introduction of [[enzyme]]s into these cells that make them susceptible to particular chemotherapy agents; studies with introducing [[thymidine kinase]] in [[glioma]]s, making them susceptible to [[aciclovir]], are in their experimental stage.