Chemoprotection in brain tumor patients: Another success for stem cell gene therapy

摘要

Chemotherapy with alkylating agents such as 1,3-bis (2 chloroethyl)-l-ni-trosourea (BCNU) and temozolomide is a mainstay for treating malignant brain tumors; however, as a result of tumor cell resistance and progressive toxicity in normal tissues, these drugs invariably fail to eradicate high-grade glioblastomas. Drug resistance in tumor cells can be overcome with sensitization agents, but this strategy is limited by concomitant sensitization of the hematopoietic system, resulting in delays in therapy, drug dose reductions, and the occurrence of significant side effects. One approach to addressing this problem is to transfer appropriate resistance genes into transplanted hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to preserve blood formation during chemotherapy.