Timed Electric Pulse and Radiation Sequencing for Tumour Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tumor treatment systems, such as radiotherapy and electrochemotherapy, cause significant side effects and require multiple sessions, while systems combining pulsed electric fields with ionizing radiation lack efficiency in targeting cancer stem cells and protecting healthy tissues.
Innovation Solution
A system that combines ultrashort electric pulses with ionizing radiation, controlled by a timer to maximize tumor cell vulnerability, allowing a single session treatment by delaying ionizing radiation application for a predetermined time post-pulse to enhance radiosensitization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high doses of ionizing radiation are used to treat tumours, then tumour cell destruction is improved, but side effects on healthy cells and surrounding tissues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies ultrashort electric pulses before ionizing radiation to create temporary permeability changes in cell membranes. This preliminary action makes tumour cells more vulnerable to radiation damage while allowing the use of lower radiation doses, thereby reducing side effects on healthy tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of tumour cells by applying electric pulses that alter membrane permeability and electrical properties. This parameter change sensitizes tumour cells to radiation, enabling effective treatment with reduced radiation doses and minimizing harm to surrounding healthy tissues.
2Reliability
If multiple treatment sessions are used (electrical impulses followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy), then treatment effectiveness is improved, but treatment complexity and duration worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the application of electric pulses and ionizing radiation into a single integrated treatment session. The control unit coordinates both treatments to occur sequentially within one session, eliminating the need for separate appointments and reducing overall treatment complexity while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous treatment action by immediately following electric pulse application with ionizing radiation within the same session. This continuous approach ensures that the sensitizing effect of the electric pulses is maximally utilized by the subsequent radiation, providing uninterrupted therapeutic action.
3Reliability
If conventional radiotherapy is used to treat brain tumours, then tumour control is improved, but cognitive impairments worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies ultrashort electric pulses as a preliminary treatment to brain tumour cells before administering ionizing radiation. This preliminary electric pulse treatment selectively sensitizes tumour cells while sparing healthy brain tissue, enabling effective tumour control with lower radiation doses and reduced cognitive side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates local quality differences between tumour cells and healthy brain cells through selective application of electric pulses. The pulses preferentially affect tumour cells, making them locally more susceptible to radiation while leaving surrounding healthy brain tissue relatively protected, thus reducing cognitive impairments.
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 system effectively targets cancer stem cells with reduced radiation doses, minimizing side effects and ensuring a single session treatment by optimizing the biological response to electric pulses and subsequent ionizing radiation.
Implementation Method 1
ultrashort electric pulses directed at a zone of a human body to be treated
Implementation Method 2
an ionizing radiation generator, configured to emit ionizing rays directed at the zone of the human body to be treated
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 7~9
AI summary
A system (1) for treating a tumour comprises: a pulsed electric field generator (2), configured to emit electric pulses directed at a zone of a human body to be treated; an ionizing radiation generator (3), configured to emit ionizing rays directed at the zone of the human body to be treated; a timer, configured for counting a length of time; a control unit (4), programmed to activate the pulsed electric field generator (2) to emit an electric pulse train and, after emitting the electric pulse train, to start the timer to count a predetermined length of time and, thereafter, to provide an information item for activating the ionizing radiation generator (3).