Phase-Change Nanoparticle for Selective Cancer Hyperthermia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatment methods, such as hyperthermia, face challenges in selectively targeting cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissues, as existing technologies lack efficient mechanisms to preferentially heat cancer cells without overheating surrounding tissues.
Innovation Solution
Development of nanoparticles with a phase-change material core and a metal nano-sphere outer layer, which preferentially bind to cancer cells and absorb energy, allowing for selective heating of cancer cells by undergoing a phase change at a controlled temperature, preventing overheating of healthy tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If hyperthermia is used to treat cancer by heating tissue, then cancer cells can be killed, but healthy surrounding tissues are also damaged due to inability to selectively heat only cancer cells
Solution Approach 1:
The nanoparticle system applies local quality by enabling selective heating only at the location of cancer cells. The nanoparticles are designed to accumulate specifically at cancer cell sites through passive EPR effect and/or active targeting mechanisms, and their phase-change material core undergoes phase transition only when exposed to external energy at these localized sites, generating heat precisely where needed while leaving healthy tissues unaffected
Solution Approach 2:
The nanoparticle acts as an intermediary between the external energy source and the cancer cells. The phase-change material core serves as a heat-generating intermediary that converts external energy into localized thermal energy at the cancer cell site. This intermediary mechanism allows indirect heating of cancer cells without directly exposing healthy tissues to high temperatures, thereby resolving the contradiction between effective cancer cell killing and healthy tissue protection
2Productivity
If nanoparticles are designed to accumulate heat at cancer cells, then treatment efficacy is improved, but risk of overheating and damaging healthy tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nanoparticle utilizes phase transition of its core material (from solid to liquid or gel to liquid) as a thermal regulation mechanism. During phase transition, the material absorbs latent heat while maintaining a relatively constant temperature, preventing uncontrolled temperature rise. This phase-change property enables the nanoparticle to generate sufficient heat to kill cancer cells while inherently limiting the maximum temperature to avoid damaging healthy surrounding tissues
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs parameter changes by controlling the phase transition temperature of the core material to be within a specific range (42-80°C) that is effective for cancer cell killing but safe for healthy tissues. By selecting materials with appropriate transition temperatures and controlling the nanoparticle distribution and activation conditions, the system achieves effective cancer treatment while preventing overheating of healthy tissues through precise temperature parameter management
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 nanoparticles effectively accumulate heat at cancer cells, causing cell damage or rupture while maintaining a safe temperature for surrounding healthy tissues, thereby enhancing the efficacy of cancer treatment while minimizing harm to non-cancerous cells.
Implementation Method 1
the inner core that includes a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion by undergoing a phase change selected from the group consisting of: solid to liquid, and gel to liquid
Implementation Method 2
the phase-change occurring at a phase-change temperature of between 42° C. and 80° C.
Implementation Method 3
The nanoparticles preferentially absorb energy transmitted toward the subject's body relative to absorption of the energy by tissue of the subject
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are described for use with a subject suffering from cancer. A nanoparticle (22) includes an inner core (30) that comprises a phase-change material that is configured to absorb latent heat of fusion by undergoing a phase change. An outer layer (32) disposed around the inner core includes a plurality of nano-spheres (34) of at least one metal, and a plurality of molecules (38) of a substance that binds preferentially with cancerous cells relative to non-cancerous cells. The nanoparticle has a volume of at least 65,000 nm3 and is elongatable into an ellipsoid, such that, when the nanoparticle is maximally elongated, each of the semi-axes defined by the ellipsoid is greater than 5 nm, and at least two of the semi axes of the ellipsoid are less than 30 nm. Other applications are also described.