Abstract 886: Developing a new concept for specific targeting of cancer cells

Abstract The purpose of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility for 100% specific killing of cancer cells and virtually zero killing of normal cells. This is an obvious goal that seems to have been lost in most of the current targeting strategies for treating cancer. For instance, one well-known strategy employs drugs that kill or inhibit cancer cells through their generally higher metabolic rate and uptake of nutrients. A second strategy uses drug conjugates and/or carrier systems that target cell surface receptors or antigens. Another strategy now gaining rapid acceptance is using cancer genomics and/or proteomics to more “specifically” inhibit various up-regulated metabolic targets in cancer cells. The use of inhibitors and/or the current limitations of toxic drugs result in incomplete killing of the cancer, which frequently results in resistance. Another purpose of this work is to redirect some of the massive resources of industry and academia back to the harder task of specifically killing cancer instead of just inhibiting it. If all cancer cells are killed during treatment, there is no opportunity for resistant cells to grow back. Therefore, the ideal goal is to produce a drug and/or drug delivery system that is virtually 100% specific for killing cancer. This 100% specificity must be based on properties that only cancer cells possess. This eliminates normal cell surface receptors or metabolic pathways that are simply up-regulated or down-regulated compared to normal cells. Cancer is caused by one or more mutations in DNA. Therefore, all cancers have at least one or more mutations that are not found in normal cells. These unique mutations are the truly specific targets that should be used for killing cancer cells. The methods in this work identify mutations inside live cancer cells through specific binding to mutated DNA, (or the resulting mutated proteins). By employing a unique delivery system, a highly toxic compound is released into the cancer cell only when specific binding occurs. This feasibility study will show that nearly 100% of cancer cells can be killed through cancer-specific, intracellular targets while normal cells are not. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 886. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-886