Compositions and methods for the treatment of primary and metastatic neoplastic diseases using arsenic compounds

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of arsenic compounds to treat a variety of neoplastic diseases. The present invention encompasses the administration to a mammal of arsenic in the form of a salt, complex, organic compound or ionic solution to treat tumors of epithelial tissue, connective tissue, central nervous system, lymphoid tissue, hematopoietic cells and tumors associated with oncogenic viruses. This invention also encompasses the treatment of hematopoietic disorders in mammals by the administration of one or more arsenic compounds to said mammal. Further, the arsenic compounds may be used to treat metastatic neoplastic diseases.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method of treating cancer in a human, which comprises administering to the human a combination of (i) a therapeutically effective amount of one or more arsenic compounds, and (ii) radiation.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the arsenic compound is arsenic trioxide.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the arsenic trioxide is formulated as an ionic aqueous solution.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the total daily amount administered of the arsenic compound is from about 10 g to about 200 mg.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the total daily amount administered of the arsenic compound is from about 0.5 mg to about 150 mg.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the total daily amount administered of the arsenic compound is from about 0.5 mg to about 70 mg.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the arsenic compound is administered parenterally.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the arsenic compound is administered intravenously.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radiation and the arsenic compound are administered in combination with an effective amount of at least one further therapeutic agent.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the further therapeutic agent is a chemotherapeutic or radiotherapeutic.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the further therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of etoposide, cisplatin, carboplatin, estramustine phosphate, vinblastine, methotrexate, hydroxyurea, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, taxol, diethylstilbestrol, VM-26(vumon), BCNU, all-trans retinoic acid, procarbazine, cytokines, therapeutic vaccines, and immunomodulators.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dose is varied according to the body weight of the human.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the cancer is melanoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, renal cancer, cancer of the central nervous system, bladder cancer, prostate cancer or lung cancer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cancer is a cancer of the central nervous system.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the cancer is brain cancer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the radiation is administered prior to the arsenic trioxide.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the radiation is administered after the arsenic trioxide.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the radiation and the arsenic trioxide are administered concurrently.