Methods for cancer treatment using stem cells

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating cancer. Many embodiments provide methods of treating cancer using stem cells. In one embodiment the method comprises removing cancer cells from a patient and culturing the cancer cells in the presence of stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into stem cell-derived cancer cells (SCDCC) which can comprise stem cell derived non-invasive and/or invasive cancer cells. An amount of the SCDCC is introduced into the patient sufficient to induce the patient's immune system to produce antibodies which inhibit or destroy the patient's cancer cells. The SCDCC may also be genetically modified to produce various immune stimulating proteins which enhance the patient's immune response to the cancer cells and improves the efficacy of the SCDNIC in treating the patient's cancer.

1 . A method for treating cancer in a patient, the method comprising:
 providing stem cell-derived cancer cells (SCDCCs), the SCDCCs having been produced by culturing cancer cells removed from the patient in the presence of stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into SCDCCs and wherein differentiation of the stem cells into the SCDSSs is indicated by identifying the disappearance of one or more stem cell markers and/or by identifying the appearance of one or more tumorigenic antigens on the stem cells; and   introducing an amount of the SCDCCs into the patient sufficient to induce the patient's immune system to produce antibodies which inhibit or destroy the patient's cancer cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SCDCCs are stem cell derived non-invasive cancer cells (SCDNICCs). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem cells are genetically modified stem cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem cells are embryonic stem cells, fetal stem cells, or adult stem cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the adult stem cells are hemopoietic stem cells. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem cells are pluripotent stem cells. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stem cells are multipotent stem cells. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the stem cells are oligopotent stem cells. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more stem cell markers is a pluripotent stem cell marker. 
     
     
         10 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more stem cell markers is a multipotent stem cell marker. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more stem cell markers is an oligopotent stem cell marker. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SCDCCs expresses at least one tumorigenic antigen that is a cell surface antigen mimic of a cell surface antigen of the cancer cells removed from the patient. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the SCDCCs have been exposed to an antibody which binds to a cell surface marker associated with an invasive cancer cell and the antibody-bound cancer cells are removed from the SCDNICCs. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SCDCCs have been exposed to an antibody which binds to a cell surface marker associated with cancer metastasis and the antibody-bound cancer cells are removed from the SCDCCs. 
     
     
         19 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer have been cultured in the presence of a plurality of stem cell lines such that the SCDCCs comprise a plurality of SCDCC lines. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of stem cell lines comprise at least a first and second line of stem cells. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the stem cells produce an immune stimulating protein. 
     
     
         26 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the immune stimulating protein includes CD40, CD80, CD86, IL2, IL7, IL12, IL21, TNF or GM-CSF. 
     
     
         32 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method for treating cancer in a patient, the method comprising:
 providing stem cell-derived cancer cells (SCDCCs), the SCDCCs having been produced by culturing cancer cells removed from the patient in the presence of stem cells under conditions such that the stem cells differentiate into SCDCCs, wherein the stem cells have been assayed for the disappearance of one or more stem cell markers and/or the appearance of one or more tumorigenic antigens on the stem cells as an indication of stem cell differentiation; and   introducing an amount of the SCDCCs into the patient sufficient to induce the patient's immune system to produce antibodies which inhibit or destroy the patient's cancer cells.   
     
     
         37 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the assay comprises an immunological assay.