What should I know about gene therapy?
ACS Answer
Gene therapy is the use of genes, which are the basic unit of heredity, in the treatment of diseases such as cancer. Any type of treatment that can change a gene's structure or function is considered gene therapy. Since cancer is a disease with a genetic basis, gene therapy has great promise in prevention and treatment. One major goal of gene therapy is to supply cells with healthy copies of missing or flawed genes. Instead of giving a patient a drug to treat or control the symptoms of the disease, researchers are studying how to correct the basic problem by changing the genetic makeup of some of the patient's cells. Other gene therapy strategies include adding genes to cancer cells to make them more vulnerable to attack by the patient's immune system.
Gene therapy for cancer is complicated because cancer is not one single genetic flaw but a combination of gene flaws. Many of the therapies are being studied today for their usefulness and safety. No gene therapies are currently FDA-approved for cancer treatment, so if you are interested in receiving such therapy, you will need to enroll in a clinical trial. Your doctor or cancer care team will be able to tell you more about clinical trials using gene therapy.
What to do (if you are receiving gene therapy)
- Go to every scheduled appointment.
- Ask questions. Your cancer care team will help you.
- Ask about expected side effects and what to do if they occur.
- Ask about when you should notify your doctor.
- If you are having specific symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, see section on nausea and vomiting, and let your doctor know.
Do not
- Miss any appointments
- Forget to take medications prescribed by your doctor
- Forget to report any side effects to your health care team
Call the doctor about any of the following symptoms
- Fever (see section on fever)
- Bleeding
- Any change in how you are feeling
- If you have a question or hear things about gene therapy that concern you
Related Resources
Get more information about gene therapy.
Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.
Recommended Consultation
You should consider discussing this topic with your doctor or health care team.
