Despite advances in our understanding of the processes involved in the development and progression of cancer, treatment options for many patients are limited and prognosis still remains poor. Surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy have been the standard treatment options available for cancer patients; however, many cancers are resistant to these therapies. At the CRUK Barts Centre, we are developing experimental treatments that can target these resistant cancers. We are particularly focusing on the development of gene therapy strategies to target pancreatic, prostate and ovarian cancers, which have mortality rates that have not significantly improved in the past two decades.
Image credit: Cosmid DNA probe for chromosome 9, human. Credit: Dr Rosemary Ekong, UCL. CC BY