Treatment of primary and metastatic carcinoma

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of treating a chemotherapy-resistant cancer, of treating a cholangiocarcinoma, of treating a metastatic carcinoma, and of treating a transition cell urothelial carcinoma by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an endothelin B (ET B ) receptor agonist and a chemotherapeutic agent to a subject afflicted with such a cancer.

1 . A method of treating a primary cancer, comprising: administering a therapeutically effective amount of an endothelin B (ET B ) receptor agonist and a therapeutically effective amount of chemotherapeutic agent to a subject suffering from a primary cancer; wherein administration results in a reduction in the size or in the growth of the chemotherapy-resistant cancer, thereby treating the chemotherapy-resistant cancer. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ET B  receptor agonist is IRL-1620. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of IRL-1620 is about 5 μg/m 2  to about 11 μg/m 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is a docetaxel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary cancer is taxane-resistant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of docetaxel is about 60 mg/m 2  to about 75 mg/m 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of docetaxel is about 60 mg/m 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ET B  receptor agonist and the chemotherapeutic agent are administered substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ET B  receptor agonist and the chemotherapeutic agent are administered as a single composition.