Leading-edge cancer treatment

Abstract

Kits and methods for the treatment of certain types of cancers, specifically various primary brain cancers. In some embodiments, treatment is directed toward the known areas of cancer cell infiltration and along pathways of likely migration ahead of established areas of cancer cell infiltration. In some embodiments, cancer cells are targeted where they have likely spread, but yet remain undetected. Some embodiments relate to a means of automatically directing radiological analysis along likely pathways of cancer cell migration to precisely determine the extent of detectable cancer spread. In some embodiments, treatments are directed to a predetermined distance along such pathways.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for treating a cancerous tumor in a brain, the method comprising:
 identifying a bulk of the tumor or a nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration;   predicting regions of likely cancer-cell migration, wherein predicting the regions of likely cancer-cell migration comprises analyzing a location of the bulk of the tumor or the nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration;   tracing a trajectory along a tissue region that is separated from the bulk of the tumor or the nidus by a sufficient distance to ensure that cancer cells have not spread beyond that distance, the trajectory being spaced apart from the bulk of the tumor or the nidus by a minimum separation;   selectively treating likely healthy white matter pathways in the regions of likely cancer-cell migration that are beyond the spreading cancer cells, wherein the white matter pathways selected for treatment are determined at least in part by the location of the bulk of tumor or the nidus.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein identifying the location of the bulk of the tumor or the nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration comprises using CT. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein identifying the location of the bulk of the tumor or the nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration comprises using MRI imaging. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein identifying the location of the bulk of the tumor or the nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration comprises using Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , identifying the location of the bulk of the tumor or the nidus and known areas of cancer cell infiltration comprising using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein predicting regions of likely cancer-cell migration comprises using data from an atlas comprising information on a set of brain regions susceptible to cancer-cell migration. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the information in the atlas is derived from a single patient. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the information in the atlas is derived from a patient population.