Gene therapy

Pronunciation

Definition 1

A type of experimental treatment in which foreign genetic material (DNA or RNA) is inserted into a person's cells to prevent or fight disease. Gene therapy is being studied in the treatment of certain types of cancer. (NCI Dictionary)

Definition 2

Application of genetic material (usually DNA) into cells in order to permanently correct an inherited disease or an acquired disease such as cancer. The genetic material as 'naked' DNA can be delivered into the cells alone or can be delivered into cells by different types of vectors such as viruses which may contain DNA or RNA. Gene therapy techniques attempt to replace a faulty/missing gene associated with a particular disease, mediate localized delivery of a protein producing specified therapeutic effects, or introduce new cellular functions. Gene therapies are designed to deliver genetic material into somatic cells and not germ cells, so that only cells of patients and not those of their offspring contain and express the genetic material delivered. (NCI Thesaurus)

Definition 3

Application of genetic material into cells in order to correct an inherited or acquired disease. (NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Definition 4

Treatment that alters a gene. In studies of gene therapy for cancer, researchers are trying to improve the body's natural ability to fight the disease or to make the cancer cells more sensitive to other kinds of therapy. (NCI Dictionary)

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