Overexpression of MDA-7/IL-24 as an anticancer cytokine in gene therapy of thyroid carcinoma

The annual incidence of thyroid cancer worldwide is alarming. Despite current various treatments such as surgical resection, radioiodine therapy and chemotherapy/radiotherapy, thyroid carcinoma remains a lethal cancer. Assuredly, the operative and new treatment strategies are necessary to control this malignancy. Gene therapy is regarded as one of the most reliable novel therapeutic methods for hopeless cases of thyroid cancer and those who do not respond to the prevalent treatments. Accumulated evidence suggests that interleukin-24 (IL-24), also known as melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7, has very important roles in regulation of cell differentiation, cell growth and apoptosis, and it is also a promising anticancer agent. Here, we propose that it could be advantageous to evaluate the anti-tumoural effect of IL-24 in a mouse xenograft model of thyroid cancer.