KR102186403B1 - Method for Treating Cancer Using Alternative Electric Field in Combination with Radiation Therapy - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cancer treatment method using the fusion of an alternating current electric field and radiation therapy, and more particularly, to a cancer treatment method capable of maximizing the effect of radiation therapy by adding an alternating electric field for a predetermined time before the start of radiation treatment. According to the present invention, since side effects on normal tissues can be reduced and the effect of radiation treatment on cancer cells can be maximized, it is possible to establish an effective cancer treatment method with a small amount of electric field and radiation with little side effects on normal tissues.

Description

[Method for Treating Cancer Using Alternative Electric Field in Combination with Radiation Therapy}

The present invention relates to a cancer treatment method using the fusion of an alternating current electric field and radiation therapy, and more particularly, to a cancer treatment method capable of maximizing the effect of radiation therapy by adding an alternating electric field for a predetermined time before the start of radiation treatment.

Currently, 35% of cancer patients in Korea and 50% in the United States are receiving radiation therapy, and the proportion of cancer patients receiving radiation therapy in Korea is steadily increasing, and the importance of radiation therapy in cancer treatment is also increasing. As such, radiation therapy is currently known as an essential treatment method for various types of cancer, but radiation resistance of cancer cells and the presence of hypoxia cells are important factors that cause local failure in conventional cancer radiation therapy (Int. J. Radiation oncology Biol. Phys. , 1988, 14, 831-833). In addition, as a result of the failure of such radiation chemotherapy, a problem has emerged in which side effects of radiation therapy, such as destruction of normal human tissues, appear when high-dose radiation treatment with increased radiation dose.

Therefore, studies on radiotherapy enhancers and radiosensitizing compounds that can increase the efficiency of radiation therapy are ongoing (Oncogene, 2004, 23, 1599-1607; Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys., 2006, 64(5), 1466-1474; Clin, Cancer Res, 2007, 13(16), 4891-4899). Radiotherapy enhancers reported to date include Taxol, cisplatin, Fluorouracil (5-Fu), and Leuprolide, which are mainly known as anticancer drugs. It has been studied as a radiotherapy enhancer in various solid cancers such as lung cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer, and it has been demonstrated that the treatment efficiency of radiation is improved when the administration of these compounds and radiation therapy are combined (Oncology Rep. 2006 16: 1085-1091; Int. J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006, 1, 64(5), 1466-1474; Clin Cancer Res. 2005, 1, 11(19), 7047-7052; Int J Radiat Biol. 2007, 83(1), 41- 47).

However, the above-mentioned anticancer drugs do not show a radiation treatment enhancing effect in various cancer cell tissues, and also have a large side effect of anticancer drugs, and thus, the development of a new radiation treatment enhancement method is required.

Recently, research to treat cancer by inhibiting cell division of cancer cells using an alternating electric field is ongoing. In the division of cells, microtubules with dipole moments combine with each other by electrical force during division to form a spindle, and the generated spindle pulls the chromosomes arranged in the center of the cell to both sides, resulting in cell division. . If such cell division is delayed in cancer cells, it is possible to cure cancer by inhibiting cell division of cancer cells. The applied electric field outside the cell can control the movement of the microtubules to form the spindle, and cells in which the spindle is not properly formed due to the electric field do not undergo normal cell division.

Accordingly, the present inventors have made diligent efforts to find a treatment method that has fewer side effects and can exhibit a radiation treatment enhancing effect in various cancer cell tissues. As a result, the effect of radiation treatment can be maximized by adding an alternating electric field for a certain time before the start of radiation treatment. After confirming that, the present invention was completed.

An object of the present invention is a medical device in which a radiation device and an AC electric field generating system including an AC voltage generator and an electric pad are fused, wherein the AC voltage generator includes a computer for controlling a function generator; Function generator; A voltage amplifier; And an oscilloscope, wherein the AC voltage generator has a voltage of 1 to 250 V, a frequency of 1 to 250 kHz, and an electric field generation time of 1 to 72 hours. It is to provide a cancer treatment method using a medical device for cancer treatment.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a medical device in which an AC electric field generating system including an AC voltage generator and an electric pad and a radiation device are fused, wherein the AC voltage generator includes a computer for controlling a function generator; Function generator; A voltage amplifier; And an oscilloscope, wherein the AC voltage generator has a voltage of 1 to 250 V, a frequency of 1 to 250 kHz, and an electric field generation time of 1 to 72 hours. It provides a medical device for cancer treatment.

The present invention also includes the steps of: (a) applying an AC electric field having a voltage of 1 to 250V and a frequency of 1 to 250 kHz to the treatment site for 1 to 72 hours; And (b) it provides a method for treating cancer comprising the step of additionally irradiating the treatment area to which the AC electric field is applied.

According to the present invention, since side effects on normal tissues can be reduced and the effect of radiation treatment on cancer cells can be maximized, it is possible to establish an effective cancer treatment method with a small amount of electric field and radiation with little side effects on normal tissues.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a cancer treatment method in which cancer treatment by a continuous electric field and radiation treatment are combined.
2 is a schematic diagram of an experiment for confirming the effect of an electric field on cancer cells.
3 is a result of confirming the synergistic effect on brain cancer by fusion of electric field and radiation treatment. (a) U373 cells, (b) U87 cells.
4 is a result of confirming the cell viability in radiation therapy alone and in fusion therapy of electric field and radiation. (a) U373 cells, (b) U87 cells.
5 is a schematic diagram showing a device for fixing an electric device in a fusion therapy of radiation and an electric field.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by an expert skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. In general, the nomenclature used in this specification is well known and commonly used in the art.

In the present invention, a computer for controlling a function generator; Function generator; A voltage amplifier; And an AC voltage generator including an oscilloscope, after applying an AC electric field with a voltage of 1 to 250 V and a frequency of 1 to 250 kHz to the treatment site for 1 to 72 hours, to the treatment site to which the AC electric field is applied. Radiation was further irradiated and applied by fusion of electric field and radiation to cells.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention is a medical device in which an AC electric field generating system including an AC voltage generator and an electric pad and a radiation device are fused, wherein the AC voltage generator includes a computer for controlling a function generator; Function generator; A voltage amplifier; And an oscilloscope, wherein the AC voltage generator has a voltage of 1 to 250 V, a frequency of 1 to 250 kHz, and an electric field generation time of 1 to 72 hours. It relates to a medical device for cancer treatment.

In the present invention, the voltage is preferably 5 ~ 100V, but is not limited thereto.

In the present invention, the frequency is preferably 100 to 200 kHz, but is not limited thereto.

In the present invention, the electric field generation time is preferably 12 to 36 hours, but is not limited thereto.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the AC electric field is continuously generated, but is not limited thereto.

In another aspect, the present invention comprises the steps of applying an AC electric field having a voltage of 1 to 250V and a frequency of 1 to 250kHz to the treatment site for 1 to 72 hours; And it relates to a method for treating cancer comprising the step of additionally irradiating the treatment area to which the AC electric field is applied.

The present invention relates to a technique for maximizing the effect of radiation treatment by imposing an alternating current electric field on a tumor site for a certain period of time before the start of treatment when performing radiation treatment for the purpose of treating cancer.

If an alternating current electric field is applied to cancer cells in dividing cells, it is possible to inhibit the division of cancer cells or induce necrosis of the cancer cells.Therefore, in the present invention, the effect of radiation treatment by controlling the magnitude, frequency, and time of the alternating electric field using computer programming. Can be maximized. In certain cancers, radiation alone has limitations in treatment, and to solve this problem, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are combined, and in this case, the treatment effect is superior to that of radiation alone. Therefore, when treating cancer by fusion of an alternating current electric field and chemotherapy, the therapeutic effect can be further maximized, and the fusion of radiation therapy and electric field therapy is expected to be a remarkably effective fusion cancer treatment method.

Cancer treatment using electric field or radiation currently being studied does not have a system for protecting injured tissues, so it is impossible to know the damage to normal tissues before actual side effects appear. However, when the fusion treatment system of electric field and radiation of the present invention is applied, the amount of electric field and radiation is remarkably reduced, so that damage to normal tissues can be significantly reduced. Therefore, when cancer is treated by fusion of an alternating current electric field and radiation, chemotherapy can be applied to tumors that could not be treated due to side effects of normal tissues, thereby improving the problems of current radiation therapy.

[Example]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail through examples. These examples are for illustrative purposes only, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the scope of the present invention is not construed as being limited by these examples.

Example 1: Changes in cells due to the fusion of AC electric field and radiation therapy

In this embodiment, in order to develop a system that can protect normal tissues by minimizing side effects caused by radiation irradiation during cancer treatment, an electric field is applied to the tumor site before radiation to maximize the effect of radiation treatment on cancer cells. A cancer treatment system was developed in which an alternating current electric field generating system and a radiation device were combined.

2 is a schematic diagram of an experiment to confirm changes in cancer cells when an alternating electric field is applied. When the electric field generated from the function generator is amplified with an amplifier to obtain a high voltage and then applied between the insulated wires containing the cells in the culture medium, the cells are affected by a certain amount of electric field. Will receive. In general, in order to induce the inhibition of cell division of cancer cells by using an electric field, a continuous electric field for 48-72 hours was applied to the cancer cells, and cancer treatment was preceded and radiation treatment was performed using this electric field. .

FIG. 5 is a device made to receive radiation treatment and electrical device charges at the same time, and the electrical device device fixing device may be attached to the end of the patient table, and the electrical device device used by the patient may be inserted. The fixing device can be easily attached to the table, and since the electric treatment device used by the patient can be used as it is, it is possible to proceed simultaneously with the radiation treatment without having to stop the electric equipment charge in the middle.

An electric field with an external voltage of 50 V and a frequency of 150 kHz was applied to the malignant glioma cell lines U373 and U87 for 24 hours, and then 3 to 6 Gy of radiation was irradiated. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it was found that the cell survival rate was significantly reduced in the fusion treatment of the electric field and the radiation than the radiation alone or the electric field alone treatment. In addition, anticancer drugs (pcalitaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophsphamide) were applied to MDA-MB cells in an electric field of 1.75V/cm for 72 hours. Compared with the effect of application (Kirson et al., BMC Medical Physics 9:1, 2009), it was similar or slightly higher depending on the cancer cell type. If the electric field and radiation fusion treatment method is applied to a tumor in a location that is difficult to operate, such as brain cancer, or to a tumor that has very little effect of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it was found that it could have a great effect.

That is, compared to the simultaneous treatment effect of an anticancer agent and an electric field, it is a result that shows that the survival of cancer cells can be reduced much more effectively when cancer treatment is first performed using an electric field and then radiation treatment is performed. It is expected that the therapeutic effect can be dramatically improved if an electric field is continuously applied for a certain period of time before the treatment.

As described above, specific parts of the present invention have been described in detail, and it is obvious that these specific techniques are only preferred embodiments for those of ordinary skill in the art, and the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. something to do. Accordingly, it will be said that the substantial scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (5)

A medical device in which an AC electric field generating system including an AC voltage generator and an electric pad and a radiation device are fused, wherein the AC voltage generator includes a function generator and a voltage amplifier, and the voltage of the AC voltage generator is 50 to 100V, A medical device for killing or inhibiting the growth of brain cancer cells in which an alternating current electric field generating system and a radiation device are fused, characterized in that the frequency is 100 to 200 kHz and the electric field generation time is 12 to 36 hours before each radiation treatment.
delete delete delete The medical device of claim 1, wherein the alternating electric field is continuously generated.

Images