3391 results about "Abnormal tissue growth" patented technology

Sinusitis, enlarged nasal turbinates, tumors, infections, hearing disorders, allergic conditions, facial fractures and other disorders of the ear, nose and throat are diagnosed and/or treated using minimally invasive approaches and, in many cases, flexible catheters as opposed to instruments having rigid shafts. Various diagnostic procedures and devices are used to perform imaging studies, mucus flow studies, air/gas flow studies, anatomic dimension studies, endoscopic studies and transillumination studies. Access and occluder devices may be used to establish fluid tight seals in the anterior or posterior nasal cavities/nasopharynx and to facilitate insertion of working devices (e.g., scopes, guidewires, catheters, tissue cutting or remodeling devices, electrosurgical devices, energy emitting devices, devices for injecting diagnostic or therapeutic agents, devices for implanting devices such as stents, substance eluting devices, substance delivery implants, etc.

This invention relates to the destruction of pathological volumes or target structures such as cancerous tumors or aberrant functional target tissue volumes by direct thermal destruction. In the case of a tumor, the destruction is implemented in one embodiment of the invention by percutaneous insertion of one or more radiofrequency probes into the tumor and raising the temperature of the tumor volume by connection of these probes to a radiofrequency generator outside of the body so that the isotherm of tissue destruction enshrouds the tumor. The ablation isotherm may be predetermined and graded by proper choice of electrode geometry and radiofrequency (rf) power applied to the electrode with or without temperature monitoring of the ablation process. Preplanning of the rf electrode insertion can be done by imaging of the tumor by various imaging modalities and selecting the appropriate electrode tip size and temperature to satisfactorily destroy the tumor volume. Computation of the correct three-dimensional position of the electrode may be done as part of the method, and the planning and control of the process may be done using graphic displays of the imaging data and the rf ablation parameters. Specific electrode geometries with adjustable tip lengths are included in the invention to optimize the electrodes to the predetermined image tumor size.

This invention concerns in general treatment of diseases and pathological conditions with anti-VEGF antibodies. More specifically, the invention concerns the treatment of human patients susceptible to or diagnosed with cancer using an anti-VEGF antibody, preferably in combination with one or more additional anti-tumor therapeutic agents.

A method for disrupting blood flow to undesirable tissue such as cells of a cancerous or non-cancerous tumor is disclosed. It involves the placement of electrodes into or near the vicinity of vessels supplying blood to the undesirable tissue and through the application of electrical pulses causing blood flow disruption. The electric pulses irreversibly permeate the cell membranes, thereby invoking cell death. The irreversibly permeabilized cells are left in situ and are removed by the body immune system. The process may further comprise monitoring blood flow and/or infusion of a material such as a chemotherapeutic agent or marker into the blood.

A system for treating a target region in tissue beneath a tissue surface comprises a probe for deploying an electrode array within the tissue and a surface electrode for engaging the tissue surface above the treatment site. Preferably, surface electrode includes a plurality of tissue-penetrating elements which advance into the tissue, and the surface electrode is removably attachable to the probe. The tissue may be treated in a monopolar fashion where the electrode array and surface electrode are attached to a common pole on an electrode surgical power supply and powered simultaneously or successively, or in a bipolar fashion where the electrode array and surface electrode are attached to opposite poles of the power supply. The systems are particularly useful for treating tumors and other tissue treatment regions which lie near the surface.

Peptide ligands having affinity for serum albumin are useful for tumor targeting. Conjugate molecules comprising a serum albumin binding peptide fused to a biologically active molecule demonstrate modified pharmacokinetic properties as compared with the biologically active molecule alone, including tissue (e.g., tumor) uptake, infiltration, and diffusion.

Nanocells allow the sequential delivery of two different therapeutic agents with different modes of action or different pharmacokinetics. A nanocell is formed by encapsulating a nanocore with a first agent inside a lipid vesicle containing a second agent. The agent in the outer lipid compartment is released first and may exert its effect before the agent in the nanocore is released. The nanocell delivery system may be formulated in pharmaceutical composition for delivery to patients suffering from diseases such as cancer, inflammatory diseases such as asthma, autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, infectious diseases, and neurological diseases such as epilepsy. In treating cancer, a traditional antineoplastic agent is contained in the outer lipid vesicle of the nanocell, and an antiangiogenic agent is loaded into the nanocore. This arrangement allows the antineoplastic agent to be released first and delivered to the tumor before the tumor's blood supply is cut off by the antianiogenic agent.

The present invention provides methods for analyzing a combination of biomarkers to individualize tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. In particular, the assay methods of the present invention are useful for predicting, identifying, or monitoring the response of a tumor, tumor cell, or patient to treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor using an algorithm based upon biomarker profiling. The assay methods of the present invention are also useful for predicting whether a patient has a risk of developing toxicity or resistance to treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In addition, the assay methods of the present invention are useful for monitoring tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in a patient receiving the drug to evaluate whether the patient will develop resistance to the drug. Furthermore, the assay methods of the present invention are useful for optimizing the dose of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor in a patient receiving the drug to achieve therapeutic efficacy and/or reduce toxic side-effects.

An apparatus and method for treating subcutaneous tissues using acoustic waves in the range of low acoustic pressure ultrasound waves is disclosed. The method includes injections of enhancing agents, wherein disruption of subcutaneous tissues and subcutaneous cavitational bioeffects are produced by ultrasound waves having a power that will not produce tissue cavitation in the absence of the enhancing agents. The apparatus and method of use is useful for treatment of subcutaneous abnormalities including cellulite, lipomas, and tumors.

A fractional concentration of clinically-relevant DNA in a mixture of DNA from a biological sample is determined based on amounts of DNA fragments at multiple sizes. For example, the fractional concentration of fetal DNA in maternal plasma or tumor DNA in a patient's plasma can be determined. The size of DNA fragments in a sample is shown to be correlated with a proportion of fetal DNA and a proportion of tumor DNA, respectively. Calibration data points (e.g., as a calibration function) indicate a correspondence between values of a size parameter and the fractional concentration of the clinically-relevant DNA. For a given sample, a first value of a size parameter can be determined from the sizes of DNA fragments in a sample. A comparison of the first value to the calibration data points can provide the estimate of the fractional concentration of the clinically-relevant DNA.

The disclosed electrochemical screening and early diagnostic device for malignant tumor comprises: an immune detection chip (1) connected to a time-resolution multichannel potentiostat (2) that connects to a data process and display system (3) by an interface. Wherein, the chip (1) comprises eight working electrodes fixed different antigen films and Ag wire (a), Ag/AgCl reference electrode (b), a carbon-pair electrode (c), and an insulation film (d). This invention needs low cost, has intelligence and fit to fast detection.

A polymer of hydrophobic monomers and hydrophilic monomers is provided. It is also provided a polymer blend that contains the polymer and another biocompatible polymer. The polymer or polymer blend and optionally a biobeneficial material and/or a bioactive agent can form a coating on an implantable device such as a drug delivery stent. The implantable device can be used for treating or preventing a disorder such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, restenosis, hemorrhage, vascular dissection or perforation, vascular aneurysm, vulnerable plaque, chronic total occlusion, patent foramen ovale, claudication, anastomotic proliferation for vein and artificial grafts, bile duct obstruction, ureter obstruction, tumor obstruction, or combinations thereof.

This invention relates to a method for prevention and treatment of aging, age-related disorders and/or age-related manifestations including atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some forms of arthritis and cancer in a subject comprising administering to said subject, separately, sequentially or simultaneously a therapeutically effective dosage of each component or combination of statins, bisphosphonates, cholesterol lowering agents or techniques, interleukin-6 inhibitor/antibody, interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor/antibody, interleukin-6 antisense oligonucleotide (ASON), gp130 protein inhibitor/antibody, tyrosine kinases inhibitors/antibodies, serine/threonine kinases inhibitors/antibodies, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitors/antibodies, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors/antibodies, Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibitors/antibodies, IκB kinase (IKK) inhibitors/antibodies, activator protein-1 (AP-1) inhibitors/antibodies, STAT transcription factors inhibitors/antibodies, altered IL-6, partial peptides of IL-6 or IL-6 receptor, or SOCS (suppressors of cytokine signaling) protein, or a functional fragment thereof, administered separately, in sequence or simultaneously. Inhibition of the signal transduction pathway for Interleukin 6 mediated inflammation is key to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, aging, age-related disorders and/or age-related manifestations including osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some forms of arthritis and tumors. Inhibition of Interleukin 6 mediated inflammation may be achieved indirectly through regulation of endogenous cholesterol synthesis and isoprenoid depletion or by direct inhibition of the signal transduction pathway utilizing interleukin-6 inhibitor/antibody, interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor/antibody, interleukin-6 antisense oligonucleotide (ASON), gp130 protein inhibitor/antibody, tyrosine kinases inhibitors/antibodies, serine/threonine kinases inhibitors/antibodies, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibitors/antibodies, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors/antibodies, Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibitors/antibodies, IκB kinase (IKK) inhibitors/antibodies, activator protein-1 (AP-1) inhibitors/antibodies, STAT transcription factors inhibitors/antibodies, altered IL-6, partial peptides of IL-6 or IL-6 receptor, or SOCS (suppressors of cytokine signaling) protein, or a functional fragment thereof. Said method for prevention and treatment of said disorders is based on inhibition of Interleukin-6 inflammation through regulation of cholesterol metabolism, isoprenoid depletion and/or inhibition of the signal transduction pathway

A device and method of use for securing and coring of tumors within the body during a biopsy of the tumor, specifically breast tumors. An adhesion probe for securing the tumor is described. The probe secures the tumor by piercing the tumor and providing a coolant to the distal tip to cool the tip. The cooled tip adheres to the tumor. A coring instrument adapted for cutting a core sample of the tumor is described. The instrument is provided with a cannula that can cut a core sample of the tumor. The instrument is adapted for use with the probe with the probe fitting within the cannula. The instrument can be used in conjunction with the probe to secure and core a sample of the tumor for biopsy.

Methods, compositions and kits which employ one or more ZEB specific detection reagents for detection and localization of ZEB associated molecules in tumor cells are disclosed. Also provided are methods for determining stage and progression of cancer in a mammal based on alterations in ZEB expression levels and subcellular localization. Also provided are methods for treating a cancer in a mammal by modulating ZEB expression levels and activity.

The present invention comprises compositions and methods for treating a tumor or neoplastic disease in a host, The methods employ conjugates comprising superantigen polypeptides or nucleic acids with other structures that preferentially bind to tumor cells and are capable of inducing apoptosis. Also provided are superantigen-glycolipid conjugates and vesicles that are loaded onto antigen presenting cells to activate both T cells and NKT cells. Cell-based vaccines comprise tumor cells engineered to express a superantigen along with glycolipids products which, when expressed, render the cells capable of eliciting an effective anti-tumor immune response in a mammal into which these cells are introduced. Included among these compositions are tumor cells, hybrid cells of tumor cells and accessory cells, preferably dendritic cells. Also provided are T cells and NKT cells activated by the above compositions that can be administered for adoptive immunotherapy.

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for in vivo treatment of cell proliferative disorders. The invention can be used to treat solid tumors, such as brain tumors. The methods rely on non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) to cause cell death in treated tumors.