Patent ID: 7089054

Claim:
An apparatus for selectively destroying dividing cells in a target area of living tissue, the dividing cells having polarizable or polar or charged intracellular members, the apparatus comprising: an article of clothing configured to be worn over the target area; a first insulated electrode having a first conductor and a contact surface, wherein the first insulated electrode is supported by the article such that, when the article of clothing is worn, the contact surface of the first insulated electrode will be held against the living, tissue; a second insulated electrode having a second conductor and a contact surface, wherein the second insulated electrode is supported by the article such that, when the article of clothing is worn, the contact surface of the second insulated electrode will be held against the living tissue; and an electric field source connected to the first and second insulated electrodes for applying an alternating electric potential difference across the first and second conductors, wherein the first insulated electrode, the second insulated electrode, and the electric field source are operatively configured to induce an AC electric field in the target area via capacitive coupling through the first insulated electrode and the second insulated electrode, the induced capacitively coupled electric field having frequency and field strength characteristics such that (a) passage of the electric field through the dividing cells in late anaphase or telophase damages a significant portion of the dividing cells and (b) passage of the electric field through non-dividing cells leaves the non-dividing cells substantially unharmed.