USE OF TAUROLIDINE TO TREAT TUMORS
The invention provides a method of inhibiting tumor growth in a mammal, by administering to the mammal composition containing taurolidine, taurultam, or a biologically active derivative thereof. The composition is administered to directly contact a tumor cell at a dose sufficient to induce cell death by apoptosis.
1 . A method of inhibiting growth of a recurrent autologous tumor in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal a composition comprising taurolidine or a biologically active derivative thereof, in an amount sufficient to induce tumor cell death by apoptosis, wherein said tumor is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, urinary bladder cancer, melanoma, leukemia, and lymphoma.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition is administered at a dose at which a tumor cell preferentially undergoes apoptosis compared to necrosis.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises taurolidine.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a taurolidine derivative or metabolite.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering a chemotherapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of an antimetabolite, a purine or pyrimidine analogue, an alkylating agent, an intercalating agent, a crosslinking agent, and an antibiotic.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises taurultam.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a taurultam derivative or metabolite.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tumor is a drug resistant tumor.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said tumor is a drug resistant tumor.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is selected from the group consisting of a solid tumor, a non-solid tumor, and a lymphoma.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is a carcinoma.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is a sarcoma.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said composition is administered at a dose sufficient to induce tumor cell death by apoptosis.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said compound is administered at a dose at which a tumor cell preferentially undergoes apoptosis compared to necrosis.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said composition comprises taurolidine.
16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said composition comprises a taurolidine derivative.
17 . A method of killing a tumor cell in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal a composition comprising taurolidine, taurultam or a biologically active derivative thereof, wherein said composition is administered to directly contact the surface said tumor cell at a dose sufficient to induce tumor cell death by apoptosis wherein said tumor is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, CNS cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, and leukemia
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said composition is administered at a dose at which a tumor cell preferentially undergoes apoptosis compared to necrosis.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said composition comprises taurolidine.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said composition comprises a taurolidine derivative or metabolite.
21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising administering a chemotherapeutic agent selected from the group consisting of an antimetabolite, a purine or pyrimidine analogue, an alkylating agent, an intercalating agent, a crosslinking agent, and an antibiotic.
22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said composition comprises taurultam.
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said composition comprises a taurultam derivative or metabolite.
24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the tumor is a drug resistant tumor
25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is a tumor of the central nervous system.
26 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is a neuroblastoma.
27 . The method of claim 17 wherein said tumor is an astrocytoma.
28 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is carcinomatous meningitis.
29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is a CNS lymphoma.
30 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is a glioma.
31 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said tumor is a drug resistant tumor.
32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is selected from the group consisting of a solid tumor, a non-solid tumor, and a lymphoma.
33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is a carcinoma.
34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said drug resistant tumor is a sarcoma.
35 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said composition is administered at a dose sufficient to induce tumor cell death by apoptosis.
36 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said compound is administered at a dose at which a tumor cell preferentially undergoes apoptosis compared to necrosis.
37 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said composition comprises taurolidine.
38 . The method of claim 31 , wherein said composition comprises a taurolidine derivative.
39 . A method of treating a tumor in a mammal, comprising contacting a tumor cell in said mammal with a composition comprising taurolidine, taurultam, or a biologically active derivative thereof in an amount sufficient to initiate transduction of a cell surface signal, wherein said signal induces apoptotic death of said cell, wherein said tumor is selected from the group consisting of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, CNS cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, urinary bladder cancer, melanoma, leukemia, and lymphoma.
40 . The method of claim 39 , wherein said composition comprises taurolidine.
41 . The method of claim 39 , wherein said composition comprises taurultam.