Dr. Xinping Song’s 3D Prostate Treatment Investigates Vectors for Gene Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Research shows that natural vectors a possible source for non-adverse gene therapy

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dr-xinping-songs-3d-prostate-treatment-investigates-vectors-for-gene-therapy-in-prostate-cancer-300463869.html?tc=eml_cleartime
     
XIANGTAN, Hunan, May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Incidence of prostate cancer in China is on the rise, cells in the male prostate are overly replicating, creating cancerous growths that leave the patient in severe pain, constant feelings of urination, and a decrease in life expectancy if not treated. Current treatments for prostate cancer include invasive surgeries, radiation, and oral drugs, however, these western remedies often leave patients with adverse side effects (such as hair loss, nausea, weakness, and emotional damage). Medical researchers are now looking for new cancer treatment to treat prostate and other forms of cancer. The 3D prostate treatment based out of the 3D Urology and Prostate Clinic in China is taking this challenge with their research on gene therapy and how genes created can be transferred to the target region. Gene therapy allows for certain genes to be turned on/off creating an enzymatic cascade that can lead to different outcomes, in cancer researchers hope that gene therapy can stop cell growth and induce apoptosis of tumor cells.

Scientists have created novel "suicide genes" that induce apoptosis in vivo. The human body is more complex than test organisms so getting genes to the right location requires a lot of work, simply swallowing a pill will have the suicides genes be destroyed by hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach. To mediate this issue medical researchers are now using injections of suicide genes coupled to vectors. Current day vectors for gene therapy are done through viruses that are tacked with the lab created genes, however, this process leaves patients susceptible to attacks by the virus. Dr. Xinping Song’s 3D prostate clinic has been exploring alternative and more natural methods for gene therapy transfer. Vectors investigated by the Dr. Xinping Song include nanoparticles and cationic liposomes, chitosan, and alkaline polysaccharides, their findings showed that these vectors were all highly specific to cancerous tumors and help get the genes to undergo apoptosis into the tumor cells.

Medical research must continue to experiment with different genes and vectors to push to cure prostate and other forms of cancer. Gene therapy can treat certain forms of cancer naturally with no side effects.