Suicide Genes or p53 Gene and p53 Target Genes as Targets for Cancer Gene Therapy by Ionizing Radiation

Key words: 
• ionizing radiation

Abstract: Radiotherapy has some disadvantages due to the severe side-effect on the normal tissues at a curative dose of ionizing radiation （IR）. Similarly, as a new developing approach, gene therapy also has some disadvantages, such as lack of specificity for tumors, limited expression of therapeutic gene, potential biological risk. To certain extent, above problems would be solved by the suicide genes or p53 gene and its target genes the rapies targeted by ionizing radiation. This strategy not only makes up the disadvantages from radiotherapy or gene therapy alone, but also promotes success rate on the base of lower dose. By present, there have been several vectors measuring up to be reaching clinical trials. This review focused on the development of the cancer gene therapy through suicide genes or p53 and its target genes mediated by IR.