Compositions and methods of treatment of cancer

Abstract

This invention generally relates to compositions and methods for cancer treatment and, in particular, to compositions able to interact (e.g., bind to) with MUC1 growth factor receptor or its ligands, and methods for treating the same. The invention also relates to assays or use of such compositions for the treatment of patients susceptible to or exhibiting symptoms characteristic of cancer or tumorigenesis. Other compositions of the present invention useful for the treatment or prevention of cancer or tumorigenesis include homologs, analogs, derivatives, enantiomers or functional equivalents. The present compositions can also be packaged in kits in some cases.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of reducing proliferation of tumor cells that express cleaved form of MUC1 in which MGFR region is accessible to ligand interaction, by contacting the cells with an effective amount of composition, comprising a structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , and A 4  are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a halogen, 
         R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  each independently comprise at least one atom, 
         Ak comprises an alkyl group, and 
         Cy comprises a cyclic structure. 
       
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method of reducing proliferation of tumor cells that express cleaved form of MUC1 in which MGFR region is accessible to ligand interaction, by contacting the cells with an effective amount of composition, comprising a structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , and A 4  are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a halogen, 
         R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  each independently comprise at least one atom, and 
         X comprises a halogen. 
       
     
     
         12 . A method of reducing proliferation of tumor cells that express cleaved form of MUC1 in which MGFR region is accessible to ligand interaction, by contacting the cells with an effective amount of composition, comprising a structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , and A 4  are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a halogen, 
         R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  each independently comprise at least one atom, and 
         Z 1  and Z 2  each independently comprise at least one carbon atom. 
       
     
     
         13 . A method of reducing proliferation of tumor cells that express cleaved form of MUC1 in which MGFR region is accessible to ligand interaction, by contacting the cells with an effective amount of composition, comprising a structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein A 1 , A 2 , A 3 , and A 4  are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and a halogen, 
         R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  each independently comprise at least one atom, and 
         E comprises at least two fused cyclic structures. 
       
     
     
         14 .- 43 . (canceled)