Intratumoral gene therapy versus intravenous gene therapy for distant metastasis control with 2-diethylaminoethyl-dextran methyl methacrylate copolymer non-viral vector-p53.

Lung cancer still remains to be challenged by novel treatment modalities. Novel locally targeted routes of administration are a methodology to enhance treatment and reduce side effects. Intratumoral gene therapy is a method for local treatment and could be used either in early-stage lung cancer before surgery or at advanced stages as palliative care. Novel non-viral vectors are also in demand for efficient gene transfection to target local cancer tissue and at the same time protect the normal tissue. In the current study, C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: (a) control, (b) intravenous and (c) intatumoral gene therapy. The novel 2-Diethylaminoethyl-Dextran Methyl Methacrylate Copolymer Non-Viral Vector (Ryujyu Science Corporation) was conjugated with plasmid pSicop53 from the company Addgene for the first time. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of targeted gene therapy in a Lewis lung cancer model. Indeed, although the pharmacokinetics of the different administration modalities differs, the intratumoral administration presented increased survival and decreased distant metastasis. Intratumoral gene therapy could be considered as an efficient local therapy for lung cancer.

Primary angiosarcoma of bone. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant vascular tumors of bone are very rare accounting for less than 1% of primary bone malignancies. They are characterized by unknown etiology, variable biologic behavior and histological appearance. Angiosarcoma is an aggressive malignant vascular tumor derived from mesenchymal cells with endothelial differentiation. CASE REPORT: We present a rare case of angiosarcoma of bone in a 47-year-old male operated for a lumbar disk herniation. During his transportation from the operation theater, a pathological intertrochanteric fracture of the right hip occured. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a bone lytic lesion located into the great trochanter of the right femur. Open surgical biopsy of the lesion was performed and the histological examination showed primary angiosarcoma of bone. The treatment included radiotherapy (300 cGy per fraction in 13 days) followed by excision of the proximal femur and custom made total hip arthroplasty. The diagnosis was confirmed on the surgical specimen.