Enhanced therapeutic effect of mutiple injections of HSV-TK+ GCV gene therapy in combination with ionizing radiation in a mouse mammary tumor model

MT Vlachaki, M Chhikara, L Aguilar, X Zhu… - International Journal of …, 2001 - Elsevier
Purpose: Standard therapies for breast cancer lack tumor specificity and have significant risk
for recurrence and toxicities. Herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene therapy
combined with radiation therapy (XRT) may be effective because of complementary
mechanisms and distinct toxicity profiles. HSV-tk gene therapy followed by systemic
administration of ganciclovir (GCV) enhances radiation-induced DNA damage by generating
high local concentrations of phosphorylated nucleotide analogs that increase radiation …