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

Abstract

Disclosed are a sensitizing composition for thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves and a method of treating cancer using the composition. The sensitizing composition 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 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 efficacy of thermal cancer therapy using electromagnetic waves in treating cancer. Thermal therapy using the sensitizing composition effectively treats cancer without pain or side effects and is thus expected to be widely useful in anticancer treatment as monotherapy, and/or in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination thereof, ultimately increases the potential to cure cancer.

1 . A composition for thermal cancer therapy, comprising:
 (i) a sensitizer for thermal therapy, having targetability to cancer tissues and, when cancer tissues are exposed to electromagnetic waves, amplifying generation of heat; and   (ii) water as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier,   wherein the sensitizer for thermal therapy comprises a metal ion-carbohydrate complex in which (a) a metal ion selected from the group consisting of an iron ion and a magnesium ion is noncovalently bound to (b) a binding material selected from the group consisting of dextran, carboxymaltose, isomaltoside, and starch.   
     
     
         2 . The composition for thermal cancer therapy according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensitizer has a concentration of 0.01 to 100 mg/ml. 
     
     
         3 . A thermal cancer therapy kit, comprising:
 the composition of  claim 1  for thermal cancer therapy; and   a device for applying electromagnetic waves.   
     
     
         4 . A method of treating cancer in an animal in need thereof, comprising:
 (a) administering the composition of  claim 1  for thermal cancer therapy to the animal, thus increasing sensitivity to cancer treatment; and   (b) applying electromagnetic waves.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the sensitizer is administered in a dose of 0.1 to 50 mg/kg. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , 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. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the method is performed in combination with at least one therapy selected from the group consisting of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.