Method for treating tumors

This invention relates generally to a method for treating a tumor comprising the steps of selecting a target substance which has at least one component with an atomic or molecular resonance frequency or frequencies different from the atomic, molecular or cellular resonant frequencies of normal cells, locating or depositing the target substance within the tumor, and irradiating the target substance with electromagnetic wave energy at a frequency or frequencies corresponding to the atomic or molecular resonance of the component such that the component absorbs energy from the electromagnetic wave, resulting in the release of heat sufficient to destroy, terminate or slow the growth of the tumor without adversely affecting the viability of normal cells.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to a method of treating tumors, and more 
particularly, to a method of treating benign and malignant tumors 
afflicting human beings by utilizing electromagnetic energy. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Considerable research within many medical research laboratories throughout 
the world has been directed towards developing effective non-invasive 
treatments for destroying and arresting the growth of both benign and 
malignant forms of tumors. However, none of the treatments thus far 
devised have demonstrated acceptable levels of tumor cell necrosis during 
either clinical trials or general practice in the field of oncology. 
For example, one method for treating tumors that has been tried, called 
brachytherapy, involves first injecting microscopic clumps of the protein 
albumin directly into the tumor by means of a needle. A suitable quantity 
of radioactive phosphorous is then added through the same needle. During 
the first few hours, the albumin clogs the capillaries within the tumor, 
preventing the release of the phosphorous to other parts of the body. 
Since tumor cells quickly take up and use the phosphorous, its 
radioactivity selectively kills them without damaging normal cells in 
other parts of the body. By the time the capillaries become unclogged, all 
or most of the radioactive phosphorous has been absorbed by the cells 
comprising the tumor, leaving little to escape into adjacent tissue. 
However, this method of treatment is difficult to implement and always 
carries the danger of radioactive material escaping into healthy parts of 
the body where it might produce serious damage. 
Another method for treating tumors that is currently being evaluated by 
medical researchers makes use of a substance called telomerase, an enzyme 
that tumor cells produce and require to remain alive, but which normal 
body cells (except for sperm) neither produce nor require. This unique 
property of telomerase has prompted attempts to develop a drug that will 
block the action of the enzyme sufficiently to either inhibit the growth 
of new tumor cells or cause the death of older ones. Telomerase is an 
example of a class of substances that are often referred to as being 
"tumor-specific" because they are needed and/or used by tumor cells in 
differentially larger amounts than by normal healthy cells of the body. 
Yet another method for treating tumors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,622,952 issued to Robert T. Gordon (hereinafter "Gordon") which attempts 
to take advantage of the observed differential heat sensitivity of tumor 
cells and normal cells. As disclosed in Gordon, it is well known that upon 
elevating the temperature of tumor and normal cells, tumor cells are 
killed at a lower temperature than normal cells. In Gordon a method was 
proposed to use electromagnetic energy to elevate the temperature of tumor 
cells or tissues, relative to normal cells, to kill the tumor cells 
without seriously affecting normal cells. 
Gordon suggested that, as a result of certain physical differences between 
normal and tumor cells and tissues, tumors exhibit different cellular and 
tissue resonant frequencies from normal cells and tissues. Gordon proposed 
that by determining the cellular resonant energy absorption frequency of 
tumor cells and tissues in a patient, and exposing the patient to an 
electromagnetic energy field having the same resonant frequency as the 
tumor cells or tissues, the tumor cells or tissue would absorb energy 
causing the intracellular temperature to differentially rise compared to 
the normal cells and tissues. By controlling the amount of electromagnetic 
energy delivered, the temperature of the tumor cells and tissues could be 
raised to a degree which causes their destruction while leaving normal 
cells unaffected. 
Gordon additionally disclosed alteration of the magnetic susceptibility and 
resonant absorption frequencies of cell and tissue structures by injecting 
a magnetically excitable material, such as FeOOH, into the cell structure. 
The FeOOH absorbed in the cell structure could then be magnetically 
excited by a 450 kilohertz magnetic field to cause biophysical alterations 
in the cell structure. However, because the determination of the resonant 
frequencies of various cell and tissue structures has been difficult to 
obtain, and the resonant frequencies of normal cell structures are 
frequently too close to those of the tumorous cells to avoid harming the 
normal cells, the method proposed by Gordon has found little practical use 
to date. 
Despite the wide-ranging and expensive efforts expended in researching, 
developing and evaluating new treatments and cures for tumors and cancers, 
no truly significant advances or completely satisfactory treatments have 
thus far been achieved. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a 
satisfactory treatment for both benign and malignant tumors which avoids 
the disadvantages and dangers of the prior treatments discussed above, 
especially with respect to the use of radioactive substances. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a treatment of 
the above type which utilizes differential heat sensitivity between tumor 
cells and normal, healthy human cells. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a treatment of the 
above type in which a tumor-specific, or target, substance is introduced 
to the tumor, which target substance selectively accepts electromagnetic 
wave energy by atomic or molecular resonance, as opposed to cellular or 
tissue resonance, to differentially raise the temperature of adjacent 
tumor cells relative to normal cells and thus destroy them without unduly 
affecting the viability of the normal cells. 
A still further object is to provide a treatment that makes use of the 
above treatment means but is preceded by an injection into the tumor of a 
protein such as albumin to block the capillaries within the tumor to 
prevent the escape of any target substance into the body of the patient 
which might produce adverse effects when coming into contact with normal 
cells outside the area of the tumor. 
Towards the fulfillment of these and other objects, the subject treatment 
requires the selection of a target substance which can be either native to 
the tumor or injected into it by suitable means and which target substance 
must necessarily selectively accept and absorb certain electromagnetic 
wave energy at one or more frequencies corresponding to its atomic or 
molecular resonance, which must also be suitably different in frequency 
from the atomic, molecular and cellular resonances of normal cells. By 
irradiating the area of the tumor with electromagnetic wave energy of 
suitable intensity at one or more of these frequencies of resonance, the 
temperature of the target substance is caused to rise within the tumor 
until necrosis or termination of growth is achieved, while leaving 
adjacent normal cells unaffected.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Research has disclosed that the viability and reproductive properties of 
tumor cells are greatly diminished at temperatures modestly higher than 
the average body temperature of 98 degrees (F.), whereas normal cells and 
healthy tissue can withstand much higher temperatures without incurring 
serious or permanent damage. Indeed, locally contained temperatures of 
only about ten to twelve degrees (F.) above the normal body temperature 
are generally sufficient to produce necrosis of most tumor cells within a 
relatively short period of time. This differential sensitivity to heat, 
therefore, provides a means for selectively destroying tumor cells, both 
benign and malignant, without seriously affecting normal cells and tissue. 
It is well known that every atom and molecule has at least one frequency at 
which it exhibits a resonance to incident electromagnetic energy. The 
frequencies that produce atomic and molecular resonance are exceedingly 
high, generally in the microwave range, relatively easy to determine, and 
are highly specific from one atom or molecule to another. When subjected 
to the energy of an external electromagnetic field at their specific 
frequency or frequencies of resonance, atoms and molecules selectively 
absorb energy from the electromagnetic field. The absorption of this 
energy causes either the electron orbits of the atoms to change or the 
atoms or molecules to vibrate. 
When the electrons undergo orbital changes, the result is generally the 
production of ultra-violet radiation. However, when atomic or molecular 
vibration modes are induced by the resonance condition, energy is usually 
released in the form of heat by infra-red or far infra-red electromagnetic 
waves. By properly exciting a given vibrational mode at the atomic or 
molecular resonant frequency of an atom or molecule, intense levels of 
heat can be generated and released into adjacent materials. 
Thus, microwave radiation can be used to produce significant amounts of 
heat within any material or substance comprised of atoms or molecules 
which exhibit a suitable atomic or molecular resonance. The important 
aspect of this type of heating is that it is differentially and 
selectively produced within specific atoms or molecules only by 
electromagnetic radiation at the exact frequency at which they exhibit 
resonance. One example of a practical use of this property is the 
"microwave oven" which employs electromagnetic (microwave) radiation at or 
near the resonant frequency of the water molecule (H.sub.2 O) at 2450 MHz 
to heat or cook any food containing a relevant percentage of water. When 
the food is exposed to electromagnetic radiation at 2450 MHz, energy is 
absorbed by the water molecules and released in the form of heat which is 
transferred to surrounding material in the food. Foods containing little 
or no water are virtually unaffected by the microwave radiation within the 
oven. 
Thus according to the present invention, the simplest form of treatment 
would begin with the choice of a proper and suitable target substance. 
This target substance might be either native to the tumor cells, such as 
telomerase, or one injected by suitable means into the area invaded by the 
tumor cells (which could also include a substance native to the tumor 
cells, such as telomerase). The target substance chosen must exhibit one 
or more frequencies of atomic or molecular resonance at which it 
efficiently absorbs energy from a properly directed incident 
electromagnetic wave of suitable intensity at the same frequency or 
frequencies and converts a major portion of the absorbed energy into heat. 
Further, the frequencies of atomic or molecular resonance exhibited by the 
target substance must be sufficiently different from the like resonances 
exhibited by all elements and components of normal cells. Upon 
determination of a native target substance, or injection of a non-native 
target substance into the tumor, the area of the tumor is subjected to 
electromagnetic waves of suitable intensity at the target substance's 
atomic or molecular resonant frequency. The target substance alone absorbs 
the electromagnetic energy which is released in the form of heat to the 
adjacent tumor cells, thus causing their necrosis, without seriously 
affecting normal cells. 
For certain applications, an alternate means of using microwave heating to 
treat tumors according to the present invention would include first 
injecting a suitable protein such as albumin into the tumor to clog 
internal capillaries, followed by an injection of a suitable target 
substance such as a non-radioactive, non-toxic molecule into the same 
area. This prevents any consequential leakage of the target substance into 
nearby healthy tissue before most of it has been absorbed by the tumor 
cells. The tumor is then selectively exposed to a suitable level of 
electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies which coincide with 
the atomic or molecular resonance or resonances of the target substance. 
When so irradiated, the relevant atoms or molecules of the target 
substance alone absorb energy from the electromagnetic waves and thereby 
heat up to a level that is lethal to the tumor cells. Since the target 
substance only harms adjacent tissue when selective electromagnetic 
radiation is applied, this method does not suffer from the potential 
harmful affects which can be caused by a radioactive substance released 
into the body after the capillary clogging action of albumin or another 
protein has subsided. 
A further embodiment of the present invention would use a "tumor-specific" 
target substance or enzyme, such as telomerase, wherein the given target 
substance contains molecules which exhibit a resonance at one or more 
frequencies that, when radiated from a suitable source of electromagnetic 
energy at such a frequency or frequencies, selectively heat up and attain 
a much higher (and more lethal) temperature than the surrounding normal 
healthy tissue. The use of such a "tumor-specific" target substance has 
the advantage, of course, of naturally confining the target substance to 
the area of the body under treatment. 
Thus, it may be seen that the present invention enjoys several advantages 
over existing procedures. For example, it enables tumors to be treated and 
destroyed while avoiding the disadvantages and dangers of the prior 
treatments discussed above. This principle is significant because 
"microwave heating" of a tumor-specific substance or an "injectable 
substance" provides a superior and far less dangerous method of treatment, 
if properly implemented, than the use of a radioactive substance, as 
described above. Further, because the present invention relies on atomic 
or molecular resonant frequencies, as opposed to cellular or tissue 
resonant frequencies, the above-discussed problems associated with Gordon 
have been eliminated. 
One example of a suitable tumor specific substance for the treatment of 
tumors in the human thyroid gland is iodine. Iodine is differentially 
absorbed by the human thyroid gland and can be intravenously injected into 
an individual inflicted with a thyroid tumor. After it has been determined 
that the majority of the iodine has become resident in the thyroid, the 
tumorous region is selectively irradiated with electromagnetic waves of 
appropriate intensity at the specific resonant frequency of iodine. The 
iodine thereby develops sufficient heat to selectively destroy the tumor 
cells, without adversely affecting nearby healthy tissue. This is possible 
because the healthy cells and tissue possess a tolerance to levels of heat 
that are sufficient to cause necrosis of tumor cells. 
A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the 
foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention 
will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. 
Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed 
broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.