Electric Field Shaping Elements for Targeted Cancer Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, often come with undesirable side effects, and there is a need for a more targeted approach to disrupt cancer cell division without affecting adjacent non-cancerous tissue.
Innovation Solution
A medical device system incorporating implantable electric field generating electrodes and electric field shaping elements, which can be configured to concentrate or redirect therapeutic electric fields specifically at cancerous tumors, using materials that alter the spatial area of tissue exposure and attenuate energy to minimize impact on non-cancerous tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cancer treatments (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy) are used to treat cancerous tumors, then cancer cell growth can be controlled or eliminated, but adjacent non-cancerous tissue is adversely affected causing undesirable side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using electric field shaping elements with specific geometric configurations (spherical, cylindrical, ellipsoidal) positioned adjacent to the tumor to create a non-uniform electric field distribution. The shaping elements concentrate the electric field specifically at the tumor site while maintaining lower field strength in surrounding healthy tissue, thereby achieving localized treatment effect with minimal impact on adjacent non-cancerous tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electric field shaping elements as intermediary components between the electrode and the tumor. These shaping elements (made from conductive, semi-conductive, or dielectric materials) modify and redirect the electric field pathways, acting as mediators that focus therapeutic energy precisely at the tumor while protecting surrounding healthy tissue from excessive exposure.
2Area of stationary object
If electric field shaping elements are used to concentrate therapeutic electric fields at the tumor site, then the spatial area of tissue exposed to the electric field is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the electric field shaping element into multiple separate components (first shaping element adjacent to the tumor, second shaping element on the opposite side of the electrode). This modular approach allows each segment to be independently positioned and optimized for specific field concentration requirements, reducing overall device complexity while achieving precise spatial control of the electric field exposure area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved geometric shapes (spherical, cylindrical, ellipsoidal configurations) for the electric field shaping elements. These curved surfaces naturally redirect and concentrate electric field lines toward the tumor site through geometric field shaping, achieving effective reduction of exposed tissue area with simple geometric forms that minimize structural complexity.
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
This approach effectively disrupts cancer cell division by interfering with mitosis, leading to apoptosis, while reducing exposure to non-cancerous tissue, thus potentially offering a more targeted and less harmful treatment option with fewer side effects.
Implementation Method 1
The electric field shaping element may comprise a material that attenuates the energy of an electrical field.
Implementation Method 2
electric field shaping elements configured to redirect or concentrate therapeutic electric fields at the site of a cancerous tumor
Implementation Method 3
This approach effectively disrupts cancer cell division by interfering with mitosis, leading to apoptosis
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments herein relate to medical device systems including electric field shaping elements for use in treating cancerous tumors within a bodily tissue. In an embodiment, a medical device system for treating a cancerous tumor is described. The medical device system can include one or more electric field generating electrodes and an electric field shaping element configured to be implanted along with the one or more electric field generating electrodes. The electric field shaping element can be made from a material that alters the spatial area of tissue exposed to the electric field. Other embodiments are also included herein.