Method of treating breast cancer using a combination of vitamin D analogues and other agents
The invention provides therapeutic methods for inhibiting, ameliorating or alleviating the hyperproliferative cellular activity of diseases of the breast, e.g., breast cancer, which includes administering to a patient in need thereof an active vitamin D analogue and another anticancer agent. Cell differentiation is promoted, induced or enhanced without causing to the patient dose-limiting hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria.
1. A method of synergistically inhibiting the growth of human breast cancer cells, comprising contacting the cells with a first composition which comprises 1α,24-dihydroxyvitamin D 2 and a second composition which comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of doxorubicin, cisplatin and paclitaxel or combinations thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent is doxorubicin.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent is cisplatin.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the agent is paclitaxel.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second compositions are administered to a human cancer patient.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first and second compositions are co-administered.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first and second compositions are administered in a daily regimen.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first and second compositions are administered in an episodic regimen.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the first composition is administered intravenously.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the first composition is administered orally.
11. The method of claim 5 wherein the first composition is administered in an amount of 0.01 μg to 400 μg of 1α,24-dihydroxyvitamin D 2 .