Combined physical and immunotherapy for cancer

Abstract

The present invention combines physical and immunologic therapies for the treatment of neoplasms by conditioning a targeted neoplasm with an immunoadjuvant (also called immunomodulator or immunopotentiator) and then physically destroying the conditioned neoplasm. A number of physical therapies can be used to achieve the physical destruction of the conditioned tumor mass.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for treating a tumor in a human or other animal host to achieve acute tumor destruction while concomitantly stimulating a host immune response against a proliferation of residual or metastatic tumor cells, comprising: 
 (a) administering an immunomodulator to the host so as to potentiate or augment an immunologic response to the presence in the host of fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules; and    (b) generating fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules from the tumor, thereby reducing tumor burden while effecting the stimulation of the immunologic response.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunomodulator stimulates the host's antitumor response by increasing the number of effector cells or producing one or more soluble mediators.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunodulator serves as an effector or mediator.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunodulator decreases host suppressor mechanisms.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunodulator alters tumor cells to increase their immunogenicity or otherwise makes said cells more likely to be damaged by immunologic processes.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunodulator improves the host's tolerance to cytotoxics or radiation therapy.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is accomplished by performing a phototherapy on the tumor.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said phototherapy comprises a thermal phototherapy.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said phototherapy comprises a nonthermal cytotoxic phototherapy.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is accomplished by inducing hyperthermia in the tumor via a means therefor.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said means comprises laser light.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said means comprises ultrasound.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said means comprises microwaves.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said means comprises radio frequency induction.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein said means comprises an electric current.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein step (b) is accomplished by performing cryotherapy on the tumor.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said immunomodulator is administered intratumorally.  
     
     
         18 . A method of producing tumor specific antibodies in a tumor-bearing host, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) introducing an immunoadjuvant into a targeted neoplasm to obtain a conditioned neoplasm;    (b) performing a physical therapy upon said conditioned neoplasm to induce neoplastic cellular destruction and to generate fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules, whereby said fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules in the presence of said immunoadjuvant form an in situ vaccine;    (c) allowing said vaccine to be dispersed systematically within the host to provoke the production of tumor specific antibodies; and    (d) collecting said tumor specific antibodies.    
     
     
         19 . The tumor specific antibodies produced in accordance with the method of  claim 18 .  
     
     
         20 . A diagnostic test to determine if an antigen is common to all human tumors of the same type, comprising contacting the tumor specific antibodies of  claim 19  with a plurality of antigen containing human sources and evaluating whether or not a common antigen/antibody complex is formed.  
     
     
         21 . A method of collecting circulating free antigens for identification and synthesis to form the basis of a screening test for very clearly breast cancer, comprising contacting the tumor specific antibodies of  claim 19  with an antigen containing source to allow for the formation of an antigen/antibody complex and subsequently separating and collecting said antigen.  
     
     
         22 . The antigen/antibody complex produced in accordance with the method of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         23 . A vaccine comprising a mixture of: 
 fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules and    an immunoadjuvant.    
     
     
         24 . The vaccine of  claim 23  wherein said immunoadjuvant is selected from the group consisting of glycated chitosans, bacterial cell walls, liberated proteins, attenuated living bacteria, oils, modified chitosan, and non-toxic chitosan-like materials.  
     
     
         25 . The vaccine of  claim 23  wherein said immunoadjuvant is a glycated chitosan.  
     
     
         26 . The vaccine of  claim 23  wherein said fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules are produced by inducing a neoplastic cellular destruction of a neoplasm.  
     
     
         27 . The vaccine of  claim 26  wherein said mixture is produced by inducing said neoplastic cellular destruction in the presence of said immunoadjuvant.  
     
     
         28 . The vaccine of  claim 23  wherein said fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules are produced by photophysically destroying a neoplasm.  
     
     
         29 . The vaccine of  claim 28  wherein said neoplasm is photophysically destroyed by a method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) introducing a chromophore into said neoplasm to obtain a conditioned neoplasm and  
 (b) lasing said conditioned neoplasm with a laser of a power and a wavelength and for a duration sufficient to activate said chromophore.  
 
     
     
         30 . The vaccine of  claim 29  wherein said chromophore is selected from the group consisting of indocyanine green, DHE, m-THPP, AIPcS 4 , ZnET2, and Bchla.  
     
     
         31 . The vaccine of  claim 29  wherein said chromophore is indocyanine green.  
     
     
         32 . The vaccine of  claim 29  wherein, in step (b), said conditioned neoplasm is lased in the presence of said immunoadjuvant.  
     
     
         33 . The vaccine of  claim 29  wherein said method further comprises the step, prior to step (b), of introducing said immunoadjuvant into said neoplasm.  
     
     
         34 . A method of producing a vaccine comprising the steps of: 
 (a) introducing an immunoadjuvant into a neoplasm to obtain a conditioned neoplasm and    (b) inducing neoplastic cellular destruction of said conditioned neoplasm to generate fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules,    wherein said fragmented neoplastic tissue and cellular molecules in the presence of said immunoadjuvant form said vaccine.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein: 
 said method further comprises the step of introducing a chromophore into said neoplasm and  
 said neoplastic cellular destruction of said conditioned neoplasm is induced in step (b) by lasing said conditioned neoplasm with a laser of a power and a wavelength and for a duration sufficient to activate said chromophore.