Treating a tumor or the like with electric fields at different orientations

Abstract

Cells that are in the late anaphase or telophase stages of cell division are vulnerable to damage by AC electric fields that have specific frequency and field strength characteristics. The selective destruction of rapidly dividing cells can therefore be accomplished by imposing an AC electric field in a target region for extended periods of time. Some of the cells that divide while the field is applied will be damaged, but the cells that do not divide will not be harmed. This selectively damages rapidly dividing cells like tumor cells, but does not harm normal cells that are not dividing. Since the vulnerability of the dividing cells is strongly related to the alignment between the long axis of the dividing cells and the lines of force of the electric field, improved results are obtained when the field is sequentially imposed in different directions. The field may also be rotated through 360° by applying AC waveforms with different phases to the electrodes.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application 60 / 639,873, filed December 27, 2004, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to the selective destruction of rapidly dividing cells in a localized area, and more particularly to the selective destruction of dividing cells without destroying nearby non-dividing cells by applying an electric field with specific characteristics to a target area within a living patient. Background technique [0004] All living organisms proliferate through cell division, including cell culture, microorganisms (such as bacteria, mycoplasma, yeast, protozoa, and other single-celled tissues), fungi, algae, plant cells, etc. By methods based on the sensitivity of the dividing cells of these organisms to certain agents, it is possible to destroy the dividing cells of the organisms or control their p...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage of this method is that the ability to distinguish is highly dependent on cell type, e.g. size differences between normal and tumor cells are significant only in certain types of cells

Another disadvantage of this method is that the applied voltage may damage some normal cells and may not destroy all tumor cells, since differences in size and membrane dielectric properties are largely statistical, and actual cell geometry and Dielectric properties may vary significantly

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