Sensitizing composition using electromagnetic waves for thermal therapy of cancers, and cancer therapy using same

Abstract

A sensitizing composition for thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves. The sensitizing composition increases sensitivity upon treatment of cancer using electromagnetic waves, and includes a metal ion, a metal ion-bound material, “metal ion-noncovalently bound apotransferrin” (transferrin), or a metal ion-noncovalently bound apotransferrin derivative. The sensitizing composition that targets cancer enables selective delivery of the metal ion to tumorous tissue when administered in vivo, and thus the generation of heat in tumorous tissue in which the metal ion accumulates is increased upon thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves, thereby maximizing the efficacy of the thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves in treating cancer. A thermal therapy using the sensitizing composition is effective for treating cancer without pain or side effects and can also be used in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc., ultimately increasing the potential to cure cancer.

1 . A sensitizing composition for thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves, comprising a sensitizer. 
     
     
         2 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sensitizer is selected from the group consisting of a metal ion, a metal ion-bound material, a metal ion-noncovalently bound apotransferrin, and a metal ion-noncovalently bound apotransferrin derivative. 
     
     
         3 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 2 , wherein the metal ion is selected from the group consisting of an iron ion, a manganese ion, a zinc ion, a copper ion, a magnesium ion, a bismuth ion, a ruthenium ion, a titanium ion, a gallium ion, an indium ion, a vanadyl ion, a chromium ion, an aluminum ion, and a plutonium ion. 
     
     
         4 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 2 , wherein the metal ion-bound material is configured such that the metal ion is noncovalently bound to a binding material selected from the group consisting of dextran, sucrose, gluconate, sorbitol, polysaccharide, carboxymaltose, ferumoxytol, isomaltoside, citrate, chloride, sulfate, fumarate, maltose, starch, cellulose, and albumin. 
     
     
         5 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 2 , wherein the apotransferrin or the apotransferrin derivative is a human- or mammal-derived serum protein or recombinant protein. 
     
     
         6 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sensitizer has a concentration of 0.01 to 100 mg/ml. 
     
     
         7 . The sensitizing composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         8 . A thermal cancer therapy kit, comprising the sensitizing composition of  claim 1  and a device for applying electromagnetic waves. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating cancer, comprising:
 (a) administering the sensitizing composition of  claim 1  to an animal other than a human, thus increasing sensitivity to cancer treatment; and   (b) applying electromagnetic waves.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the sensitizing composition is administered in a dose of 0.1 to 50 mg/kg when being a metal ion or a metal ion-bound material, and is administered in a dose of 0.1 to 200 mg/kg when being a metal ion-noncovalently bound apotransferrin or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electromagnetic waves are selected from the group consisting of gamma rays, X-rays, UV rays, visible light, IR light, microwaves, and radio waves. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , which is performed in combination with any one or more selected from the group consisting of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.