Inflatable Cervical Light Irradiation for Fertility-Preserving Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for cervical cancer, particularly in young patients, struggle to effectively treat cancer while preserving fertility and addressing wide-area cancer spread with minimal invasiveness, as near-infrared light penetration is limited by biological tissues.
Innovation Solution
A treatment apparatus and method using a distal shaft and inflation portion to deliver excitation light to antibody-photosensitive substances bound to tumor cells, allowing wide-range irradiation within the cervix and vagina, with adjustable light emission and fluorescence detection for treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If non-invasive light irradiation is used to treat cervical cancer, then patient invasiveness is reduced, but light penetration depth is insufficient to reach tumors in advanced stages
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment apparatus divides the irradiation function into multiple segments: an inflation portion that contacts the vaginal wall and emits light laterally, and a distal shaft that extends into the cervical canal to emit light distally. This segmentation allows light to reach tumors at different locations without requiring deep single-point penetration
Solution Approach 2:
The inflation portion emits light in multiple directions (laterally and distally) rather than along a single linear path. This multi-dimensional light emission expands the effective treatment range, allowing irradiation of tumors spread across wide areas of the cervical canal and vagina
2Reliability
If surgery is used to remove the entire uterus for early stage cervical cancer, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but fertility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an antibody-photosensitive substance as an intermediary that selectively accumulates in tumor cells. When irradiated with excitation light, this substance produces cytotoxic effects specifically in cancer cells while leaving normal uterine tissue intact, enabling local treatment that preserves fertility
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment applies localized photodynamic therapy only to tumor regions where the antibody-photosensitive substance has accumulated. This localized approach destroys cancer cells while conserving healthy uterine tissue, maintaining fertility in young patients
3Area of stationary object
If advanced stage cervical cancer is treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy, then treatment coverage is improved, but five-year survival rate remains low at 50%
Solution Approach 1:
The antibody-photosensitive substance provides selective accumulation in tumor cells through antigen-antibody binding, creating localized high-concentration photoactive regions. This targeted approach delivers concentrated therapeutic effect to cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment uses specific wavelength excitation light that matches the absorption characteristics of the photosensitive substance. This parameter optimization maximizes the photodynamic effect in tumor cells, improving treatment efficacy for advanced stage cancer
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances treatment effectiveness by ensuring wide-area irradiation of cervical cancer with minimal invasiveness, improving cancer cell destruction while preserving fertility and allowing real-time monitoring of treatment progress.
Implementation Method 1
a treatment method using an antibody-photosensitive substance (hydrophilic phthalocyanine) can specifically destroy target cells without destroying non-target cells such as normal cells by irradiating the antibody-photosensitive substance accumulated in a tumor with excitation light
Implementation Method 2
a fluorescence detection unit configured to detect fluorescence emitted by the antibody-photosensitive substance
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment apparatus and a treatment method capable of effectively treating cancer including a cervix. The treatment apparatus includes: a main shaft including a distal portion and a proximal portion; an inflation portion disposed on a distal side of the main shaft and configured to be inflated by inflowing a fluid; a distal shaft protruding from the inflation portion toward the distal side; and at least one irradiation unit configured to emit excitation light of an antibody-photosensitive substance from the distal shaft and the inflation portion.