Review on gene and cell therapies in prostate cancer treatment: prospects and challenges

Abstract

Gene and cell therapies have emerged as innovative therapeutic strategies, offering a new paradigm in the treatment of prostate cancer. This review explores the current state of gene and cell therapies, including their mechanisms, applications, and the challenges faced in clinical translation. The article selection was based on the 2020 preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA). Eighty-four (84) articles (published in English between 2018 and 2024) from standard electronic databases were extracted and reviewed. Key therapeutic approaches such as viral vector-mediated delivery, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, suicide genes, cell-based therapies like CAR T cell therapy, and dendritic cell vaccines that target specific tumor antigens were reviewed. These therapies promise to enhance therapeutic efficacy with few challenges, like off-target effects, limited delivery efficiency, and immune-related toxicities associated with delivery. Advances in CAR T cells, nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems, and epigenetic modulation are potential solutions to these challenges. Combination therapies involving gene and cell therapies with immunotherapies and oncolytic viruses hold the potential for synergistic treatment effects. Certain critical regulatory, ethical, and accessibility issues must be addressed to ensure the safe and equitable deployment of these therapies. Continued research and innovation in gene and cell therapies and streamlined regulatory pathways will be crucial for realizing their full potential in treating prostate cancer. Overcoming these challenges and fears confronting gene and cell therapies worldwide might facilitate a stream of personalized medicine in prostate oncology.

Keywords

CAR-T / CRISPR-Cas9 / vector-mediated / gene therapy

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