IMMUNE MEDIATED CANCER CELL DESTRUCTION, SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Systems and methods for delivering electric fields to a target tissue of a patient for destruction of cancerous cells so as to elicit or induce a specific anti-cancerous cell immune response in the patient.
1 . A method for delivering electric fields to a target tissue of a patient for destruction of cancerous cells, comprising:
establishing an electrical current flow through a volume of the target tissue so as to preferentially destroy cancerous cells in the volume and induce a specific anti-cancerous cell immune response in the host patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current flow is selected such that thermal based protein coagulation and denaturation in the cancerous cells or tissue is substantially avoided.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering an immunostimulatory agent or adjuvant.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue is heated to less than about 50 degrees C. during a phase of treatment.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current flow provides a voltage field less than about 50 V/cm.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current flow comprises a frequency between about 50 kHz and about 300 kHz.
7 . A method for delivering electric fields to a target tissue of a patient for destruction of cancerous cells, comprising:
identifying a first target tissue site and a second target tissue site; and
eliciting destruction of cancerous cells of the first target tissue site comprising establishing an electrical current flow through a volume of the second target tissue so as to preferentially destroy cancerous cells in the volume and induce a specific host anti-cancerous cell immune response so as to control growth of cancerous cells at a location remote from the second target tissue that have not directly received electrical current flow.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein cancerous cells have been seeded at the second target tissue site.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising systemically or locally administering an immunostimulatory agent or adjuvant.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical current flow is selected such that thermal based protein coagulation and denaturation in the cancerous cells or tissue is substantially avoided.
11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second target tissue is heated to less than about 50 degrees C.
12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical current flow provides a voltage field less than about 50 V/cm.
13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical current flow comprises a frequency between about 50 kHz and about 300 kHz.
14 . A system for delivering electric fields to a target tissue of a patient for destruction of cancerous cells, comprising:
a probe comprising one or more electrodes and configured to establish an electrical current flow through a volume of the target tissue so as to preferentially destroy cancerous cells in the volume and induce a specific anti-cancerous cell immune response in the host patient.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the probe is configured to deliver an electrical current flow selected such that thermal based protein coagulation and denaturation in the cancerous cells or tissue is substantially avoided.
16 . The system of claim 14 , where in the probe further comprises a delivery unit for administering an immunostimulatory agent or adjuvant.
17 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising an energy source coupled to the probe.
18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the probe further comprises an array of the one or more electrodes defining an ablation volume.
19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the probe is configured to radiate current radially or in a plurality of different directions.
20 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a biopsy unit for seeding the target tissue in a patient.