Introduction of the herpes simplex type I thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene into tumor tissue, followed by ganciclovir, initiates a phosphorylation cascade that induces formation of a toxic ganciclovir triphosphate. Animal trials suggest that this ganciclovir triphosphate has antitumor activity. Here we report application of the HSV-TK transfection approach using a retroviral construct. Sixteen patients (median age 61.5 years) with refractory carcinoma (13 melanoma, 1 breast cancer, 1 non-small-cell lung cancer, and 1 osteogenic sarcoma) received intratumoral injection of HSV-TK retroviral vector at escalating doses (0.2 × 107 cfu per injection × 5 daily doses) and we evaluated them for toxicity and activity. We observed grade III pain associated with cellulitis in one patient following injection. Analysis of blood samples drawn between 3 and 28 weeks from 14 patients for replication-competent retrovirus by PCR analysis of the amphotrophic envelope revealed no replication-competent retrovirus. We injected 21 lesions. We identified no tumor responses of the injected lesions. Of 13 patients with advanced melanoma, 6 survived over one year. Thus, injection of retroviral delivered HSV-TK in patients with refractory cancer was well-tolerated.
CITATION STYLE
Singh, S., Cunningham, C., Buchanan, A., Jolly, D. J., & Nemunaitis, J. (2001). Toxicity assessment of intratumoral injection of the herpes simplex type I thymidine kinase gene delivered by retrovirus in patients with refractory cancer. Molecular Therapy, 4(2), 157–160. https://doi.org/10.1006/mthe.2001.0430
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