Gene Therapy for Lung Cancer—an Application for Cationic Lipid-Mediated Gene Delivery?

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In the United States, smoking-induced lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. While the incidence of lung cancer in men appears to have reached a plateau and has begun to decline, the incidence in women continues to increase and at present is approximately 42 cases per 100 000 annually ( 1 ). Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma, which together make up the majority of lung cancers, collectively are termed “non-smallcell lung cancers” (NSCLCs). Patients with early stage NSCLC generally are treated with surgery, resulting in 5-year survival rates that range from 25% to 80%, depending on the stage of the disease ( 1 ). Several recent studies [reviewed in ( 2 )] have shown that patients with inoperable, early stage NSCLC also can be treated effectively with radiation. Fewer alternatives are available for late stage disease; routine use of chemotherapy for late stage NSCLC is controversial.