Therapy for primary and metastatic cancers

Abstract

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for ablating tumor cells in a subject having at least one tumor site. More specifically, the method comprises contacting the tumor cells in at least one tumor with a lytic agent in vivo, under lytic conditions, forming a treated tumor; and applying a sufficient in vivo stimulus to the treated tumor forming a stimulated tumor. Compositions and methods are included for shrinking a local tumor or a distal metastatic tumor, or both in a subject. In a preferred embodiment, the method for shrinking a tumor in a subject comprises: contacting a stimulated tumor cells in vivo with a lytic agent. The stimulus directed toward the tumor cells is capable of increasing the level of chaperone proteins in the tumor cells. The combination of lytic agents and tumor cell stimulus leads to shrinkage of the tumors that were treated directly, wherein the stimulus is either applied simultaneously or sequentially. Moreover, distal or metastatic tumors that were not-treated directly are also decreased by introducing a lytic agents into a stimulated tumor cells in a first-tumor ("the treated tumor" or "the local tumor"). The preferred method steps that include introduction of a lytic agent and stimulation of the tumor cells is repeated in order to maximize the tumor shrinkage effects.

Description

Background of the invention [0001] This application claims priority from US Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 443,095, entitled "Treatment of Metastatic Cancer," filed January 28, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. [0002] One aspect of the invention relates to an immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic tumors. The immunotherapeutics and methods of the invention involve simultaneous or sequential administration of physiological stress (eg, heat) and genetically engineered oncolytic viruses to the treatment area, resulting in subsequent local and distal tumor regression. [0003] Cancer can be defined as a malignant growth anywhere in the human or animal body. The spread of cancer locally or to distant parts of the body is called metastasis. An example of metastasis is the migration of cells from a malignant tumor via the bloodstream or lymph. There are a variety of cancers characterized by the uncontrolled growth of ce...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0021] In conclusion, the prior art has shown that it is possible to treat cancer within a limited capacity using different techniques and treatments, however many of these treatments have some significant disadvantages

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