| abstract |
This invention identifies a novel class of compounds to act as tissue sensitizing agents. The cryosensitizing agents may include vitamins such as Vitamin D3 or cell stress response modulators such as TRAIL, alone or in combination, including each of their natural or synthetic derivatives and/or analogs. While the cryosensitizing agents act as adjuvants to effect precision in cryotherapeutic procedures, the agents are minimally toxic to non-targeted tissues as well as the patient as a whole. This allows for complete target tissue ablation, including cancerous and benign tumors, within the iceball formation. The molecular agents can be an injectable, implantable, liquid, semisolid, or solid that is non-toxic to cells, tissues, and organs at normal body temperature and become toxic when used simultaneously, pre-treatment and/or post-treatment, at subfreezing temperatures. The present invention will increase the ablative capacity of cryosurgery especially at elevated subfreezing temperatures and improve damage associated with post-thaw apoptosis and necrosis. |