Method of treatment

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of cancer therapy. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for the treatment of gastrointestinal-type cancers and therapeutic agents useful for same.

1 . A method for the treatment of a gastrointestinal-type cancer in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject an antagonist of IL-11 or IL-11R. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gastrointestinal-type cancer is gastric cancer or colorectal cancer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the antagonist is selected from the list comprising an IL-11 mutein, an antibody specific for IL-11, and a soluble IL-11R. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the antagonist is an IL-11 mutein. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the IL-11 mutein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the list comprising SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the antagonist is an antibody specific for IL-11. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the amount of antagonist administered is an amount to inhibit or reduce activation of STAT3 and/or STAT1. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the administration of an anti-cancer agent. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising radiation therapy or surgical ablation of cancer tissue. 
     
     
         11 . A therapeutic protocol for treating gastric cancer in a subject, said protocol comprising screening a biopsy of gastric tissue for expression levels of IL-11 and in subjects having tissue with high IL-11 expression, providing an IL-11 or IL-11R antagonist for a time and under conditions to reduce potential tumorigenesis and/or ameliorate tumor burden. 
     
     
         12 . The therapeutic protocol of  claim 11  further comprising monitoring the subject after therapeutic intervention for levels of IL-11 expression. 
     
     
         13 . The therapeutic protocol of  claim 11  wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         14 . A therapeutic protocol for treating colorectal cancer in a subject, said protocol comprising screening a biopsy of colorectal tissue for expression levels of IL-11 and in subjects having tissue with high IL-11 expression, providing an IL-11 or IL-11R antagonist for a time and under conditions to reduce potential tumorigenesis and/or ameliorate colorectal tumor burden. 
     
     
         15 . The therapeutic protocol of  claim 14  further comprising monitoring the subject after therapeutic intervention for levels of IL-11 expression. 
     
     
         16 . The therapeutic protocol of  claim 14  wherein the subject is a human.