New Experimental Modalities in the Control of Neoplasia

Acquisition of new knowledge about the biological and bio­ chemical nature of neoplastic cells has led to the design and development of several experimental approaches in the tre&tment of cancer. These approaches emerge from the recent work in tu­ mor virology, e. g. the control of vital cellular genes by viral regulatory signals; the implication of monoclonal antibodies as a vehicle for the targeted drug delivery and selective de­ struction of tumor cells; immunologic advances in the recog­ nition of some specific events during metastatic growth; the role of biological response modifiers in modifying or rever­ sing malignant growth; and biochemical advances, such as the role of gene amplification in drug resistance and the app­ roaches to the reversal of resistance in drug refractory cancer, the role of membranes in designing useful strategies, the identification of new enzymic targets in some types of cancer cells, and the characterization of metabolically active forms of cytostatic compounds. These are the important issues which were addressed in an international NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) attended by scientists from allover the world representing a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. Although the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is not a malignant disease, but the etiological involvement of a retrovirus belonging to the family of human T-cell lympho­ tropic viruses which cause leukemia and lymphomas in man, justifies its inclusion in the agenda of this Study Institute. Scientific presentations from Drs.