Small Interfering RNA for Effective Cancer Therapies

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has become a specific and powerful tool to turn off the expression of target genes, and has turned into a promising tool in molecular medicine. It can be targeted against cancer by several strategies. These include the suppression of overexpressed oncogenes, retarding cell division by interfering with cyclins and related genes or enhancing apoptosis by inhibiting anti-apoptotic genes. RNA interference (RNAi) against multidrug resistance (MDR) genes or chemo/radio-resistance and angiogenesis targets may also provide beneficial cancer treatments. Successful cancer therapy by siRNA in vitro and in vivo provides the enthusiasm for potential therapeutic applications of this technique. Here, we review RNAi in cancer therapy, highlighting recent progress and examining the hurdles that must be overcome before this promising technology is ready for clinical use.