Oncomagnetic Treatment Device Using Oscillating Permanent Magnets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are devastating to patients and have low life-expectancy outcomes with high toxicity, while TTF therapy causes skin lesions and burns due to electrical currents.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive method using oscillating magnetic fields generated by rapidly rotating permanent magnets to disrupt mitochondrial function in cancer cells, causing apoptosis without direct skin contact, which can be administered in conjunction with other therapies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used to treat cancer, then cancer cells are killed, but severe physical and mental trauma and high toxicity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical (chemotherapy) and ionizing radiation (radiotherapy) systems with a magnetic field-based system. Permanent magnets generate oscillating magnetic fields that disrupt mitochondrial electron transport chains, causing apoptosis in cancer cells without the severe side effects of traditional treatments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses oscillating magnetic fields as an intermediary mechanism to achieve cancer cell destruction. Instead of directly applying toxic chemicals or ionizing radiation, the magnetic field indirectly disrupts cellular function by interfering with electron flow in mitochondria, leading to selective cancer cell death.
2Reliability
If TTF therapy is used to treat brain tumors, then tumor cells are targeted, but skin lesions and burns occur due to electrical currents
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical current-based TTF system with a magnetic field-based system. By using permanent magnets to generate oscillating magnetic fields, the invention avoids direct electrical current application to the skin, thereby preventing skin lesions and burns while maintaining anti-tumor effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful electrical current component from the TTF therapy while retaining the therapeutic oscillating field effect. By using magnetic fields instead of electrical currents, the system removes the source of skin damage while preserving the ability to target and destroy tumor cells.
3Power
If large current through coils or solenoids is used to generate oscillating magnetic fields, then magnetic field generation is achieved, but high energy consumption and device complexity occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electromagnetic induction systems (coils and solenoids requiring large currents) with a direct mechanical oscillation system using permanent magnets. The magnets are physically oscillated to generate the required magnetic fields, eliminating the need for high-current electrical systems and reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent magnets generate strong magnetic fields intrinsically without requiring external energy input for field generation. The only energy required is for mechanical oscillation of the magnets themselves, which is significantly less than the energy needed to drive large currents through electromagnetic coils.
4Reliability
If conventional cancer treatments are used, then cancer cells are destroyed, but life-expectancy outcomes remain dismal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits the fact that cancer cells have impaired mitochondrial function and are already under metabolic stress. By applying oscillating magnetic fields that further disrupt electron transport, the system converts the existing cellular vulnerability into a therapeutic advantage, causing selective apoptosis in cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.
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
The method selectively kills cancer cells by disrupting electron flow, generating reactive oxygen species, leading to apoptosis, and is less toxic and invasive than existing treatments, with potential for drug-free and ionizing radiation-free therapy.
Implementation Method 1
applying alternating electric fields (AEFs) to the scalp, a treatment called Tumor Treating Field (TTF) therapy
Implementation Method 2
generating, in a tissue including cancer cells, the disruption of electrons to cause apoptosis in the cancer cells
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~4B
AI summary
To disrupt mitochondrial function in certain cells, controlling hardware causes a magnet to oscillate so as to generate an oscillating magnetic field. The oscillating magnetic field is applied to a volume of tissue including cells with degraded mitochondria to trigger apoptosis in the cells with degraded mitochondria.