A composition for delivering a tumor therapeutic agent to a patient includes afast-release formulation of a tumor apoptosis inducing agent, a slow-releaseformulation of a tumor therapeutic agent, and a pharmaceutically acceptablecarrier. An apoptosis-inducing agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable carriermay be administered before or concomitantly therewith. Nanoparticles ormicroparticles (e.g., cross-linked gelatin) of the therapeutic agent (e.g.,paclitaxel) also may be used. The nanoparticles or microparticles may becoated with a bioadhesive coating. Microspheres that agglomerate to block theentrance of the lymphatic ducts of the bladder to retard clearance of themicroparticles through the lymphatic system also may be employed. Thisinvention also uses drug-loaded gelatin and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)nanoparticles and microparticles to target drug delivery to tumors in theperitoneal cavity, bladder tissues, and kidneys. Fig. 1 (left) shows multipletumors disseminated through the peritoneal cavity of a mouse implanted withintraperitoneal human Hs766T pancreatic xenograft tumors under room light and(right) under UV light.
