Bio-medical unit and applications for cancer treatment

• US 9,081,878 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rofougaran, Ahmadreza (Reza)
• Primary Examiner(s): Bosworth, Kami A
• Application Number:
  US12/649,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 604 19- 21, 604/501, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 128897-899
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

An in vivo cancer treatment system includes a plurality of bio-medical units, a communication control device, and a wireless power source device. A bio-medical unit of the plurality of bio-medical units includes a power harvesting module operable to convert a wireless power source into a supply voltage; a communication module operable to communication data, wherein the communication unit is powered by the supply voltage; and a field generation module operable to generate a type of electromagnetic field, wherein the field generation module is powered by the supply voltage. The communication control device communicates with the plurality of bio-medical units to facilitate treatment of cancer cells within the body. The wireless power source device generates the wireless power source.

Claims

1. A bio-medical unit operable in vivo, the bio-medical unit comprises:

a power harvesting module operable to convert a wireless power source into a supply voltage;

a communication module operable to communicate data regarding treatment of cancer cells within a body, wherein the communication module is powered by the supply voltage; and

a field generation module operable in vivo with adjustable power levels that determines a power level to contain a polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug within an in vivo localized area and that generates a type of electromagnetic field with the power level to attract the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area.

2. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises at least one of:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver to transceive RF data signals with a communication control device;

a millimeter wave (MMW) transceiver to transceive MMW data signals with a communication control device; and

a magnetic resonance transceiver to transceive magnetic resonance data signals with a communication control device.

3. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the field generation module further functions to perform:

when the cancer treatment drug is ionized, determine a power level of an electric field to contain the ionized cancer treatment drug approximately within the in vivo localized area that is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and generate the electric field with the power level to contain the ionized cancer treatment drug approximately within the in vivo localized area that is at least partially encircling the cancer cells;

or

when the cancer treatment drug is polarized, determine a power level of a magnetic field to contain the polarized cancer treatment drug approximately within the in vivo localized area that is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and generate the magnetic field with the power level to contain the polarized cancer treatment drug approximately within the in vivo localized area that is at least partially encircling the cancer cells.

4. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the field generation module further functions to perform at least one of:

generate an electric field to charge a second substance that contains the cancer treatment drug in the localized area, wherein the localized area is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and wherein the cancer treatment drug is ionized; and

generate a magnetic field to magnetize a second substance that contains the cancer treatment drug in the localized area, wherein the localized area is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and wherein the cancer treatment drug is polarized.

5. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises at least one of:

a first dispensing module operable in vivo to;

store the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug in vivo; and

dispense at least a portion of the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug in an in vivo localized area at least partially encircling the cancer cells in accordance with a control signal of the data;

or

a second dispensing module operable in vivo to;

store a second substance that contains the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug; and

dispense at least a portion of the second substance in the in vivo localized area at least partially encircling the cancer cells in accordance with a control signal of the data.

6. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

a propulsion module operable to move the bio-medical unit in accordance with control signals of the data.

7. The bio-medical unit of claim 1 further comprises:

an imaging module to generate image data regarding the treatment.

8. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the field generation module includes at least one of:

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter to transmit RF signals at the cancer cells to facilitate RF radiation of the cancer cells; and

a millimeter wave (MMW) transmitter to transmit MMW signals at the cancer cells to facilitate MMW radiation of the cancer cells.

9. The bio-medical unit of claim 1, wherein the communication module further functions to:

receive a first control signal that contains instructions for a first pattern of treatment to be performed;

or

receive a second control signal that contains instructions for a second pattern of treatment to be performed.

10. A bio-medical unit, comprising:

a communication module operable to receive a communication, wherein the communication includes instructions to transmit at a given power level; and

a field generation module operable in vivo in response to the communication to generate in an in vivo localized area an electromagnetic field at the given power level to attract at least one of;

a polarized cancer treatment drug or an ionized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area.

11. The bio-medical unit of claim 10, wherein the cancer treatment drug is ionized and the field generation module functions to generate an electric field in the in vivo localized area to attract the ionized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area.

12. The bio-medical unit of claim 10, wherein the cancer treatment drug is polarized and the field generation module functions to generate a magnetic field in the in vivo localized area to attract the polarized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area.

13. The bio-medical unit of claim 10, wherein the field generation module further functions to perform at least one of:

generate an electric field to charge a second substance that contains the cancer treatment drug in the in vivo localized area, wherein the localized area is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and wherein the cancer treatment drug is ionized; and

generate a magnetic field to magnetize a second substance that contains the cancer treatment drug in the in vivo localized area, wherein the localized area is at least partially encircling the cancer cells and wherein the cancer treatment drug is polarized.

14. The bio-medical unit of claim 10, further comprising:

a power harvesting module operable to convert a wireless power source into a supply voltage; and

wherein the communication module is powered by the supply voltage.

15. The bio-medical unit of claim 10 further comprises at least one of:

a first dispensing module operable to store the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug in vivo and dispense at least a portion of the cancer treatment drug in vivo;

or

a second dispensing module operable to store a second substance that contains the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug in vivo and dispense at least a portion of the second substance in vivo.

16. The bio-medical unit of claim 10 further comprises:

a propulsion module operable to move the bio-medical unit in accordance with control signals received by the communication module.

17. A method for treatment of cancer, comprising:

determining a power level for an electromagnetic field for attracting a polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug within an in vivo localized area; and

generating by a biomedical unit the electromagnetic field that interacts with the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area with the power level to attract the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

attracting the polarized or ionized cancer treatment drug within the in vivo localized area by the electromagnetic field.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

dispensing at least a portion of an ionized cancer treatment drug by the biomedical unit in vivo, wherein the electromagnetic field is an electric field; and

dispensing at least a portion of a polarized cancer treatment drug by the biomedical unit in vivo, wherein the electromagnetic field is a magnetic field.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving instructions by the biomedical unit to position at a given location; and

moving to the given location by the biomedical unit using a propulsion module.