Patent ID: 8226946

Claim:
A method for destroying cancerous tissue within a patient's body, comprising the steps of: (a) administering a light activated drug therapy treatment to the treatment site, the light activated drug therapy treatment destroying a portion of the cancerous tissue at the treatment site and releasing factors that stimulate the patient's immune system; and (b) administering an immune system stimulating factor to the patient in association with the light activated drug therapy treatment, said immune system stimulating factor and said light activated drug therapy together having a synergistic effect that systemically enhances destruction of cancerous tissue, even to cancerous tissue that itself has not been treated by the light activated drug therapy treatment, the immune system stimulating factor comprising an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, release of the factors that stimulate the patient's immune system caused by the light activated drug therapy enabling a lower dose of the anti-CTLA-4 antibody to be used than is normally used when administered without also administering the light activated drug therapy.