Genetic therapy of human disease

During the past three years, the genetic therapy of solid tumor neoplasms and of non-neoplastic disease has been introduced by several investigators into the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), and severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID). Genetic modification has been playing an important role in the therapy of the leukemias as well as in the solid tumor malignancies. Clearly, genetic therapy has come of age. This review is designed to update the medical and bone marrow transplantation community on the progress in the area of genetic trials which involve molecular modification of somatic cells.