What are the Challenges and Risks Associated with CRISPR in Cancer?
Despite its potential, CRISPR is not without challenges and risks:
1. Off-target Effects: One of the primary concerns is the possibility of unintended edits to the genome, which can lead to unpredictable consequences, including new mutations that might cause other diseases. 2. Delivery Mechanisms: Efficiently delivering CRISPR components to cancer cells in the human body remains a significant hurdle. Current methods often lack the precision needed for clinical applications. 3. Ethical Considerations: The use of gene editing in humans raises ethical questions, particularly concerning the potential for germline editing (modifying genes in eggs, sperm, or embryos), which can be passed on to future generations.
