In the context of cancer, ganciclovir is not used as a direct chemotherapeutic agent. Instead, it finds its role in gene therapy strategies, particularly in combination with the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene. This combination forms a suicide gene therapy approach. Cancer cells are genetically modified to express the HSV-tk gene, which then converts ganciclovir into a toxic compound, selectively killing the cancerous cells while sparing normal healthy cells.
