Methods and compositions for treating cancer

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods and compositions for treating cancer by administering opioid growth factor receptor (OGFR) antagonists. In particular, the present disclosure relates to methods of administering OGFR antagonists locally to the site of cancer cells in the patient diagnosed with cancer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a cancer in a subject in need thereof, comprising locally administering an opioid growth factor receptor (OGFR) antagonist to a site in the subject containing cancer cells. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OGFR antagonist comprises naloxone, naltrexone, a functional derivative or analog thereof, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer comprises soft tissue non-osteogenic sarcomas, bone sarcomas, osteosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, benign bone tumors, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, thyroid adenocarcinomas, glial blastoma, pituitary tumors, oligodendrocytoma, bladder carcinoma, triple negative breast carcinoma, breast carcinoma, neuroblastoma, or astrocytoma. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OGFR antagonist is administered at a local dosage of about 1 mM to about 10 mM. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OGFR antagonist is administered locally by intratumoral injection. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OGFR antagonist is administered with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises a collagen based carrier in the form of a collagen sponge, a powdered collagen, or a collagen based gelatin hydrogel. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is the collagen sponge. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprises a hydrogel based carrier. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hydrogel based carrier comprises a poly-(lactic acid)/poly-(ethylene glycol)/poly-(lactic acid) hydrogel, a poly-(ethylene glycol)/poly-(lactic acid)/poly-(ethylene glycol) hydrogel, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hydrogel based carrier is poly-(ethylene glycol)/poly-(lactic acid)/poly-(ethylene glycol). 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the OGFR antagonist is administered with a diluent, wherein the diluent enhances the solubility of the OGFR antagonist. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the diluent comprises a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) based saline solution, or an acidified saline solution. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the diluent is the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) based saline solution. 
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 14 , wherein the DMSO based saline solution comprises from about 1% volume/volume (v/v) DMSO to about 80% v/v DMSO. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the DMSO based saline solution comprises about 50% v/v DMSO. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the acidified saline based solution exhibits a pH from about 4.5 to about 7.4.