Treatment of cancer with glutamine

Abstract

Provided are methods of treating cancer, and/or the side effects of cancer therapy, involving the administration of glutamine, optionally in combination with a carbohydrate carrier that enhances the absorption of glutamine.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method of enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, comprising:
 administering to a mammalian subject treated for cancer with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising glutamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and carbohydrate in an amount effective to increase the absorption of glutamine by the subject.   
     
     
         39 . A method of increasing the therapeutic index of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy comprising:
 administering to a mammalian subject treated for cancer with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy a composition comprising (a) glutamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an amount effective to increase glutathione concentration in at least one normal tissue and decrease glutathione concentration in tumor tissue, thereby reducing the susceptibility of the normal tissue and increasing the susceptibility of the tumor tissue to killing by the chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, and (b) carbohydrate in an amount effective to increase the absorption of glutamine by the subject.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein the tumor tissue is breast cancer tissue. 
     
     
         41 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the amount of glutamine administered is at least 0.5 mg per day per kg body mass of the subject. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein the amount of glutamine administered is 0.2 g to 3.0 g per day per kg body mass of the subject. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the amount, of glutamine administered to the subject is less than 0.5 g per kg per day. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the amount of glutamine administered to the subject is less than 0.1 g per kg per day. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the carbohydrate comprises one or more monosaccharides or disaccharides. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the carbohydrate comprises a sugar alcohol. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the weight ratio of total carbohydrate to glutamine in the composition is 0.5:1 to 50:1. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the weight ratio of total carbohydrate to glutamine is at least 4:1 in an aqueous solution, either after preparation with an aqueous solvent or after delivery in an aqueous environment of the mammalian subject. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the composition comprises no more than 5 naturally occurring amino acids other than glutamine. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the composition comprises no naturally occurring amino acids other than glutamine. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the composition is administered orally. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the mammalian subject is a human. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the composition is administered after or while administering radiation therapy to the subject. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the composition is administered before administering radiation therapy to the subject. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 38  or  39  wherein the composition is administered after or while administering chemotherapy to the subject. 
     
     
         59 - 60 . (canceled)