Increasing Cancer Patient Survival Time by Administration of Dithio-Containing Compounds

Abstract

The present invention discloses and claims compositions, methods of treatment, and kits which cause an increase in the time of survival in cancer patients, wherein the cancer: (i) overexpresses thioredoxin or glutaredoxin and/or (ii) exhibits evidence of thioredoxin- or glutaredoxin-mediated resistance to one or more chemotherapeutic interventions. The present invention also discloses and claims methods and kits for the administration of said compositions to properly treat cancer patients. Additionally, the present invention discloses and claims methods and kits for quantitatively determining the level of expression of thioredoxin or glutaredoxin in the cancer cells of a cancer patient, methods of using those determined levels in the initial diagnosis and/or planning of subsequent treatment methodologies for said cancer patient, as well as ascertaining the potential growth “aggressiveness” of the particular cancer and treatment responsiveness of the particular type of cancer. Further, the present invention discloses and claims novel pharmaceutical compositions, methods, and kits used for the treatment of patients with medical conditions and disease where there is the overexpression of thioredoxin and/or glutaredoxin, and wherein this overexpression is associated with deleterious physiological effects in the patients.

1 . A method for treatment of a subj ect suffering from cancer who has previously received administration of one or more chemotherapeutic agents, comprising administering a medically-sufficient dose of disodium 2,2′-dithio-bis-ethane sulfonate to said patient with cancer either prior to, concomitantly with, or subsequent to the administration of a chemotherapy agent or agents whose cytotoxic or cytostatic activity; and administering a medically-sufficient dose of one or more enzymes, proteins, peptides, small organic molecules, or polyclonal and/or monoclonal antibodies prior to, concomitantly with, or subsequent to the administration of said medically-sufficient dose of disodium 2,2′-dithio-bis-ethane. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer is lung cancer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the subject is a nonsmoker. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the small organic molecules include carboplatin. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the small organic molecules include paclitaxel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the small organic molecules carboplatin or paclitaxel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lung cancer is non-small cell lung carcinoma. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lung cancer is non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is human. 
     
     
         10 . A method for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in a subject who is a nonsmoker, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a medically-sufficient dose of disodium 2,2′-dithio-bis-ethane sulfonate to the subject with the cancer either prior to, concomitantly with, or subsequent to the administration of a carboplatin. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subject is a nonsmoker. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the lung cancer is non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the non-small cell lung cancer is squamous. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the non-small cell lung cancer is non-squamous. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the small organic molecules include paclitaxel. 
     
     
         16 . A method for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in a subject who is a nonsmoker, comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of a medically-sufficient dose of disodium 2,2′-dithio-bis-ethane sulfonate to the subject with the cancer either prior to, concomitantly with, or subsequent to the administration of a carboplatin and paclitaxel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the subject is a nonsmoker. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-small cell lung cancer is squamous. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-small cell lung cancer is non-squamous. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the subject is human.