Viral shedding after p53 adenoviral gene therapy in 10 cases of esophageal cancer.

We detected adenoviral DNA fragments in excretions of 10 esophageal cancer patients by DNA-PCR after tumor injection of Ad-CMV-vector. A total of 220 samples consisting of feces, gargling saliva, urine, and blood plasma were assessed. A total of 29.7% of feces samples and 13.2% of gargling saliva samples were positive for adenoviral DNA fragments, but 89.7% of the positive feces samples and all of the positive gargling saliva samples turned negative on day 12 after tumor injection. Although adenoviral DNA fragments may be pathogen-free, patients’ feces and gargling saliva contain adenoviral DNA fragments for 12 days after injection. (Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 289–291)