Nonviral approaches for cancer gene therapy

ancer is by far the most common targeted disease for gene therapy. Conventional cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy all suffer from various shortcomings, although they could be effective for some cancers. These include limited specificity, nonresponsiveness to therapy, nonspecific side effects, and recurrence due to incomplete eradication of cancerous cells. All these limitations emphasize the need for alternative therapy with high effectiveness, specificity, and minimal side effects. Cancer gene therapy is believed to meet these requirements.