Soluble Erythropoietin Receptor for Gene Therapy of Breast Cancer
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. When the cancer remains localized, long-term survival is possible following surgery to remove the primary tumor. However, when the cancer metastasizes, death occurs for most patients. The progression and metastasis of breast cancer is dependent on angiogenesis. Tumors continuously dispense angiogenic signals. One such signal is erythropoietin (Epo). The general idea of the authors' gene therapy approach is that breast cancer cells can be genetically engineered to release Epo receptor (sEpoR), an antagonist to breast cancer-associated Epo and thus antagonistic to breast cancer-associated angiogenesis. The authors presume that interfering in this manner with tumor-associated blood vessels should bring about a significant anti-tumor effect. Women die of breast cancer despite undergoing surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. These women for who all else fails may benefit from the novel therapeutic tactic that the authors' propose because the majority of women who succumb to breast cancer have metastatic or unresectable cancer that is refractory to standard treatment. Furthermore, the target of their strategy is tumor-associated neovasculature, which is not of malignant origin. Therefore, it is unlikely that these vascular cells have acquired "resistance to treatment," and they should remain responsive to antagonistic stimuli.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA434585
Entities
People
- Nicoletta Eliopoulos
Organizations
- McGill University