Abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in men and women. Uncontrolled proliferation of CRC cells is pivotal in colorectal tumorigenesis and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an important regulatory enzyme in this process. Timely diagnosis is the key to life-saving management of CRC, which is under-diagnosed because colorectal aberrant crypt foci, hyper plastic polyps, micro edemas are often missed with conventional colonoscopy. Disclosed herein are imaging agents tagged to nanobodies specific for COX-2 protein that can selectively accumulate and retain in COX-2 expressing cells and colorectal adenomas, resulting in specific and sensitive of early detection, while reducing background and off-target systemic toxicity. The prospect of combining structural and functional imaging readouts obtained with fluorescence-aided colonoscopy measurements would provide powerful diagnostic information for improved management of colorectal carcinogenesis.

Abstract: A method to enhance the cytotoxic activity of an antineoplastic drug comprising administering an effective amount of the antineoplastic drug to a host exhibiting abnormal cell proliferation in combination with an effective cytotoxicity-increasing amount of an antioxidant. The invention also includes a method to decrease the toxicity to an antineoplastic agent or increase the therapeutic index of an antineoplastic agent administered for the treatment of a solid growth of abnormally proliferating cells, comprising administering an antioxidant prior to, with, or following the antineoplastic treatment.

Abstract: A method to enhance the cytotoxic activity of an antineoplastic drug comprising administering an effective amount of the antineoplastic drug to a host exhibiting abnormal cell proliferation in combination with an effective cytotoxicity-increasing amount of an antioxidant. The invention also includes a method to decrease the toxicity to an antineoplastic agent or increase the therapeutic index of an antineoplastic agent administered for the treatment of a solid growth of abnormally proliferating cells, comprising administering an antioxidant prior to, with, or following the antineoplastic treatment.