A pharmaceutical composition and method for use in inhibiting growth of cancer cells in a mammalian subject are disclosed. The composition includes a urease enzyme, and associated therewith, a chemical entity effective to enhance the delivery of the enzyme to cancer cells, when the composition is administered to the subject. Also disclosed are a method of enhancing the effectiveness of weakly basic anti-tumor compounds, a method assessing the presence, size or condition a solid tumor in a subject, and a gene therapy composition for treating a cancer in a subject.