Patent Publication Number: US-2022226661-A1

Title: Electromagnetic device and method for treating cancers and tumors

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 
     63/140,114, filed on Jan. 21, 2021. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The disclosure of the present patent application relates to RF therapy devices, and particularly to an electromagnetic device and method for treating cancers and tumors. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     According to the World Health Organization, a study in 2018 indicated that every fifth man and every sixth woman will get cancer at some stage of their life. The annual cost of treating skin cancers in the U.S. is estimated at $8.1 billion, including about $4.8 billion for non-melanoma skin cancers, and $3.3 billion for melanoma. In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. More than two people die of the disease every hour. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 4.3 million cases of BCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. More than 1 million cases of SCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Organ transplant patients are approximately 100 times more likely than the general public to develop squamous cell carcinoma. Current figures suggest that more than 15,000 people die of SCC in the U.S. each year, more than twice as many as from melanoma. Neuroblastoma is by far the most common cancer in infants (younger than 1 year old). There are about 700 to 800 new cases of neuroblastoma each year in the United States. This number has remained about the same for many years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 80% of all women will develop uterine fibroids (myomas) at some point during their lives. Because many women don&#39;t experience any symptoms, it&#39;s possible that the incidence of uterine fibroids is even higher. Fibroids are considered benign or noncancerous, but can be painful. 
     Some current RF therapy devices for treating cancer use amplitude-modulated RF signals. While these devices are somewhat effective, they are limited in their performance, and their ability to treat neuroblastoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and benign (noncancerous) tumors, such as myoma, has not been thoroughly evaluated. 
     Thus, an electromagnetic device and method for treating cancers and tumors solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     The electromagnetic device and method for treating cancers and tumors changes the metabolism of cells, helping to stop proliferation of tumors and cancer cells inside or on the body and providing epigenetic reprogramming of cancer cells into regular-like cells for a complete cancer cure. The device includes an RF frequency generator for generating an RF signal, a low frequency generator for generating a modulating signal, a modulator for frequency modulating the RF signal with the modulating signal to produce a frequency-modulated output signal, and an antenna with a parabolic trough reflector (PTR) for directing the modulated signal to a patient&#39;s body. 
     The method includes applying the signal for predetermined periods of time at a power density of between 1 mW/cm 2  and 15 mW/cm 2 , more specifically between 10 mW/cm 2  and 15 mW/cm 2 , and at an RF frequency between 100 MHz and 900 MHz, more specifically between 400 MHz and 500 MHz and at a modulation frequency between 100 Hz and 10 kHz, more specifically 1-4 kHz, which allows maintaining the mode of slow metabolism for thirty minutes. In one embodiment of the method, a 10 W signal with an RF carrier frequency of 430 MHz and modulation frequency of 1000 Hz reduced the temperature in cancer cells by 2.5° C. during irradiation, with up to 80% reduction of cancer cells growth and reprogramming of the cancer cells. Cancers that can be treated using the electromagnetic device and method include, but are not limited to, neuroblastoma, glioblastoma, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In addition, benign (noncancerous) tumors, such as myoma, can also be treated using the electromagnetic device and method. 
     The method can be repeated for several hours over several days to achieve 100% inhibition of cancer cell growth and to finish reprogramming of all cancer cells in order to stop cancer cell proliferation of any kind. The number of procedures to achieve reprogramming of all cancer cells is dependent on the speed of proliferation of the specific cancer or tumor type. Generally, slow proliferation cancers require more irradiation procedures and more days of treatment in comparison with fast proliferation cancers. 
     These and other features of the present subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electromagnetic (EM) device for treating cancers and tumors. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the of the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a graph showing changes in the temperature of Sansevieria plant leaves as a function of time for exemplary modulation frequencies induced by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a plot showing changes in the temperature of SCC Cancer Cells as a function of time during irradiation by frequency-modulated RF electromagnetic waves generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5A  is a chart showing inhibition of neuroblastoma cancer cell (SHSY5Y) growth after irradiation by a frequency-modulated RF EM field generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5B  is a chart showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell (SCC47) growth after irradiation by a frequency-modulated RF EM field generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a plot of temperature changes of SCC cancer cells as a function of time, comparing temperature change during initial exposure to temperature change during a second exposure three hours later to a frequency-modulated RF EM field generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a chart showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell SCC47 growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7B  is a chart showing inhibition of neuroblastoma cancer cell SHSY5Y growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a chart showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell SCC47 cell growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8B  is a chart showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell SCC47 and neuroblastoma cancer cell SHSY5Y growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is a graph of temperature changes of Sansevieria plant leaves as a function of power density of a frequency-modulated RF EM field generated by the EM device for treating cancers and tumors of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An exemplary electromagnetic (EM) device  10  for treating cancers and tumors is shown in  FIG. 1 . The device  10  includes a support holder or stand having a generally vertical support column  12  extending upward from the proximate end of four horizontal lower support members  11 . The distal end of the horizontal lower support members  11  may include caster-type wheels  14  to allow the device  10  to be rolled into position for use or storage. The generally vertical support column  12  and the horizontal lower support members  11  may be made of aluminum. It should be noted that the holder for the device  10  may be of any suitable configuration, and the floor stand shown in  FIG. 1  is for illustrative purposes only. The upper end of the vertical support column  12  has an electronic control box  16  and a parabolic trough reflector  18  mounted on opposite sides thereof. In use, a patient P is positioned at predetermined distance in front of the parabolic trough reflector  18  for receiving the RF energy from the device  10 . For example, the predetermined distance may be between 0.5 m to 2 m. 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram  20  of the EM device  10  of  FIG. 1 . The device  10  includes a low frequency generator  24  that provides a modulating signal of between 100 Hz to 10 kHz. The modulating signal is fed to block  26 , which includes an FM modulator and a high frequency generator that provides an RF carrier signal in portions of the very high frequency (VHF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF) RF bands between 100 MHz and 900 MHz. The resulting FM RF signal is provided to an antenna element  22  at a power density of between 1 mW/cm 2  and 15 mW/cm 2  and is directed toward the patient P using the parabolic trough reflector  18 . In addition to the above-described circuitry, the EM device  10  also includes one or more power supplies (not shown) for providing the required voltages for the various circuits, as is known in the art. 
       FIG. 3  is a graph  30  showing changes in the temperature of Sansevieria plant leaves for modulation frequencies of 100 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz of the FM RF EM waves from the EM device  10 , the temperature being related to the metabolism of the Sansevieria plant leaves. It can be seen that for all of the modulation frequencies the plant temperature reduces over time due to exposure to the FM RF EM waves.  FIG. 9  is a graph  90  of temperature change (and change in metabolism) of Sansevieria plant leaves as a function of power density of a frequency-modulated RF EM field generated by the EM device  10 . The graph indicates that from a minimal power density of 1.5 mW/cm 2  to a power density of 3.5 mW/cm 2  there is an increasing amount of temperature drop of the Sansevieria plant leaves to a maximum temperature drop of 1.5° C. at a power density of 3.5 mW/cm 2 . At power densities above 3.5 mW/cm 2  the temperature drop decreases in a linear manner. While not being bound by theory, this effect can be explained by considering two different physical processes. The first process works at low RF power density, when electrical forces induced by virtual photons interact with electrical fields of single nucleotides (where each single nucleotide is an electrical dipole) and this interaction decreases the Sansevieria plant cell temperature and metabolism. The second process starts to have a noticeable effect at higher power densities, when a large number of real photons results in partial absorption of these photons and their energy, and as result, above 3.5 mW/cm 2  the second process starts to offset the first process. With further increasing of the RF power density, the Sansevieria plant cell temperature will continue to increase until the temperature drop is a temperature rise. 
       FIG. 4  is a plot  40  showing changes in the temperature of SCC cancer cells induced by FM RF EM waves from the EM device  10 . The decreasing temperature of the SCC cancer cells over time indicates changes in the cells&#39; metabolism during irradiation by the FM RF EM waves. 
       FIG. 5A  is a chart  50   a  showing inhibition of neuroblastoma cancer cells (SHSY5Y) growth after exposure to an FM RF EM field generated by the EM device  10 . 
       FIG. 5B  is a chart  50   b  showing inhibition of SCC cancer cells (SCC47) growth after exposure to an FM RF EM field generated by the EM device  10 . 
       FIG. 5B  shows clear inhibition of the SCC cancer cells growth after irradiation, which indicates the reprogramming of the SCC cancer cells. 
       FIG. 6  is a plot  60  showing temperature changes of SCC cancer cells as a function of time during an initial 30-minute exposure to an FM RF EM field generated by the EM device  10  and during a second 30-minute exposure three hours later. The decreasing temperature of the SCC cancer cells over time indicates changes in the cells&#39; metabolism during irradiation by the FM RF EM waves. 
       FIG. 7A  is a chart  70   a  showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell (SCC47) growth after exposure to various frequency modulated RF EM fields from the EM device  10 . On the x-axis, the control plate is for a sample that was not irradiated. Plate  11  indicates the reduced cell proliferation after a single 30-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF carrier frequency modulated with a 1000 Hz modulating signal. Plate  12  indicates the reduced cell proliferation after a thirty-minute exposure including a first 10-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF field frequency modulated with a 1000 Hz modulating signal, followed by a second 10-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF field frequency modulated with a 500 Hz modulating signal, followed by a third 10-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF field frequency modulated with a 200 Hz modulating signal. Plate  13  indicates the reduced cell proliferation after a first 30-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF carrier frequency modulated with a 1000 Hz modulating signal, followed by a three-hour break between exposures, followed by a second 30-minute exposure to a 430 MHz RF carrier frequency modulated with a 500 Hz modulating signal. 
       FIG. 7B  is a chart  70   b  showing inhibition of neuroblastoma cancer cell (SHSY5Y) growth after exposure to various frequency modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device  10 . On the x-axis, the plate designations are the same as in chart  70   a  of  FIG. 7A . 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  show inhibition in the growth of cancer cells SCC47 (squamous cell carcinoma) and cancer cells SHSY5Y (neuroblastoma), which indicates a change in the cells&#39; metabolism during irradiation using several different modulating frequencies and durations of FM RF EM fields generated by the EM device  10 . From a comparison of charts  70   a  and  70   b , it can be seen that there is a difference in reprogramming process efficiency for the two different kinds of the cancer cells (SCC47 and SHSY5Y) after the same irradiation time. This can be attributed to the proliferation speed of the SCC47 cells, which, in this case, was half the proliferation speed of the SHSY5Y cells. 
       FIG. 8A  is a chart  80   a  showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell SCC47 cell growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device  10  with a modulation frequency from 500-2000 Hz. As can be seen from the chart  80   a , the inhibition of the SCC cancer cells peaks at 35% with a 1000 Hz modulation frequency. 
       FIG. 8B  is a chart  80   b  showing inhibition of SCC cancer cell SCC47 and neuroblastoma cancer cell SHSY5Y growth after exposure to various frequency-modulated RF EM fields generated by the EM device  10  with a carrier frequency from 400-470 Hz. As can be seen from the chart  80   b , the inhibition of both types of cancer cells peaks at about a 430 Hz carrier frequency. As can also be seen from the chart  80   b , the inhibition of the SCC cancer cells is 5% less than the inhibition of the neuroblastoma cancer cell at a 430 Hz carrier frequency. As previously noted, this can be attributed to the proliferation speed of the SCC47 cells, which in this case was half the proliferation speed of the SHSY5Y cells. 
     As previously noted, slow proliferation cancers require more irradiation procedures and more days of treatment in comparison with fast proliferation cancers. In order to increase the reprogramming efficiency to 100%, the irradiation process should be repeated several times in a 48-to-72-hour period. From testing, it has been found that the optimal number of 30-minute procedures for squamous cell carcinoma SCC47 cancer is twice a day with a 3-hour delay between procedures and requires repeating these procedures for four days. For neuroblastoma cancer cell SHSY5Y cancer, it was found that one 30-minute procedure per day for three days was adequate. The required number and schedule of irradiation procedures for maximum process efficacy can be calculated from cancer cells proliferation speed and can be confirmed experimentally. 
     It is to be understood that the electromagnetic device and method for treating cancers and tumors is not limited to the specific embodiments described above but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.