JP2869020B2 - Cancer treatment device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cancer treatment device used for treating cancer and tumors, and more particularly, for example, cancer or tumors occurring in sites or organs where resection surgery is considerably difficult, such as pancreatic cancer The present invention relates to a cancer treatment device used for treating lung cancer, brain tumor, brain stem and spine cancer, and cancer near the aorta.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, cancer is one of the most terrible diseases left for mankind, and the elucidation of its root cause and its treatment are in a developing stage. There are three typical treatments that are currently effective: surgical resection, radiation therapy, and anticancer drug therapy.
These are the most commonly used.

[0003] Among these, surgical resection is the most effective curative method and is most often used. However, for malignant tumors deep in the body where this method cannot be used, radiation therapy and anticancer drug therapy are used in combination. Often used. However, these radiotherapy and anticancer drug therapy are often accompanied by strong side effects, and the complete cure rate is considerably lower than that of surgical resection.

[0004] In recent years, studies on cancer treatment methods using physical therapy without side effects have been energetically advanced, and typical examples of the methods include a heat treatment method and a phototherapy method using a photosensitizer. Thermal treatment is a method of killing cancer cells by overheating or cooling them. For example, simply keeping cancer cells at a temperature + 5 ° C higher than body temperature for a certain period of time with relatively small damage to surrounding normal cells. It has been reported to have significant therapeutic effects.

[0005] On the other hand, in the phototherapy method, when cells having absorbed a photosensitizer are irradiated with activating light having a specific wavelength, the photosensitizer absorbs light energy and generates activated oxygen that destroys the cells. The excretion rate of the photosensitizer after injection of the photosensitizer is very low, ie, 1/3 or less (about 1/5) of cancer cells as compared with normal cells. Utilize the fact that it is low.

The present invention described below is directed to this phototherapy, and the phototherapy will be described in detail below. FIG.
Is a graph showing the relative concentration of ATX-S10 remaining in cells with respect to the elapsed time from the time when ATX-S10, which is one of the photosensitizers, was injected into the body. Graph PN is the residual concentration in normal cells, and graph PC is the residual concentration in cancer cells.

After sufficient injection of the sensitizer into the affected area and surrounding cells by direct injection or intravenous injection of the photosensitizer into the affected area, a normal waiting time (approximately 3 hours) results in normal cells Has already excreted most of the photosensitizer, whereas a state in which most of the photosensitizer remains in the cancer cells (a phototherapeutable state) appears. When activated light of a specific wavelength is irradiated in this photo-treatable state, activated oxygen that destroys cells is actively generated in cancer cells where most of the photosensitizer stays, and most of the photosensitizer is excreted. Activated oxygen is hardly generated in the normal cells, and the cancer cells are selectively killed.

[0008] The duration of the phototherapeutic state after a single photosensitizer injection (light therapy effective period) begins about 3 hours after the injection of the sensitizer, and the cancer cells excrete most of the sensitizer. End about 14
Ends after hours. FIG. 9 is an example of ATX-S10, and the waiting time after the photosensitizer is injected and the phototherapy effective period fluctuate by about one digit depending on the type of the photosensitizer. The point of this treatment is to keep the activation light evenly and evenly applied to the affected area within the effective period of the light treatment, and to adjust the intracellular concentration of activated oxygen that kills cells and the death of normal cells in normal cells. The rate remains very low, within acceptable limits, and the mortality of the cancer cells is 100% within the cancer cells
That is, the irradiation light amount is controlled so as to be a close value.

[0009]

To irradiate the affected part with the activating light, conventionally, an optical fiber was directly inserted into the affected part and the activating light was sent through the optical fiber. However, according to this method, (a) the optical fiber cannot be moved during the treatment, so that the irradiation area, that is, the treatment range, is very narrow and limited. (B) In order to irradiate light in all directions from the tip of the optical fiber, it is necessary to cut the tip of the optical fiber into, for example, a conical shape, which is difficult to process, so that the optical fiber becomes very expensive. Would. (C) To repeat the treatment, it is necessary to re-insert the optical fiber each time, which places a heavy burden on patients and doctors. (D) It is very difficult to cure large cancers and tumors due to the narrow therapeutic range. There is a problem. (E) It is necessary to disinfect the optical fiber before treatment and re-disinfect or dispose of the optical fiber after treatment. Since the optical fiber usually requires a length of 1 m or more and is a composite material, disinfection and disposal are considerably troublesome. , Not easy to use.

In view of the above-mentioned facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a low cost inexpensive cancer treatment device which can irradiate the affected area with activation light over a wide area to enhance the effect of a large phototherapy and which is easy to use. I do.

[0011]

[MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS]
Ming cancer treatment device, the tip side is inserted into the body to be treated,
A catheter-type insert having a light-transmissive tube with a closed end and an optical fiber slidably disposed in the tube at the distal end, emits a predetermined activation light, and the activation light is an optical fiber A light source for propagating the light into the optical fiber so as to be emitted from the tip of the optical fiber disposed on the side of the optical fiber, and an optical fiber disposed in the tube. , characterized by comprising a driving mechanism for driving the optical fiber to perform round trip motion in the longitudinal direction of the tube.

Here, the above-mentioned "tube having a closed end"
Means that the distal end of the tube itself may be closed, or the distal end of the tube may be closed by a stopper or the like fitted into the opening at the distal end. Where
In the cancer treatment device according to the present invention, the driving mechanism may include the tube.
Optical fiber placed in the tube
Reciprocating in the direction
It is preferable that the rotation is performed.
No. Further, in this onset Ming cancer therapeutic instrument, the optical fiber,
It is preferable that the end of the optical fiber has a flat surface oblique to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

Further, the drive mechanism preferably optical fibers is one which drives the optical fiber to perform periodic round trip motion.

[0014]

Further, in the above-described cancer treatment apparatus according to the present invention, the emission solid angle indicating the spread of light emitted from the tip of the optical fiber is adjusted by changing the luminous flux density of the emitted light on a spherical surface centered on the center of the tip of the optical fiber. Is defined as a region where is 0.37 times or more of the maximum value, it is preferable that the tip of the optical fiber is a flat surface whose emission solid angle is 0.12 steradians or more .

[0016]

Further, at the cancer therapeutic instrument of the present invention, the tube, polyurethane, polyacetal, or is preferably made of a plastic material containing nylon 11, also tubing, the tubing, the body to be treated It is preferable to have a cusp at the end on the distal end side where the area of the cut surface orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tube decreases as approaching the distal end of the tube.

[0018] In yet cancer therapeutic instrument of the present invention, the light source is preferably one to continuously or stepwise increase the amount of incident light activation light entering the optical fiber as time elapses.

[0019]

SUMMARY OF] The onset bright cancer therapeutic instrument, since they are provided with an optical fiber slidably in the tube, by inserting the tube once, even if the optical fiber is round trip motion pain to the patient No treatment is given, and the patient is not injured each time the optical fiber is inserted and removed, and the treatment can be easily performed in a plurality of times. In addition, a tube having a diameter of about 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm can be used, and side effects such as bleeding caused by inserting the tube into an affected part are small.

Strict sterilization before treatment requires only a tube, and after treatment, this tube, which is much cheaper than an optical fiber, can be easily disposed of by incineration or the like, and the usability is very good. Also, when the optical fiber is reciprocated,
A wide light irradiation area can be obtained in the longitudinal direction of the tube, and it can be used for an affected area having a large size.

The cutting of the tip of the optical fiber obliquely can be performed at low cost, and when combined with the rotational movement of the optical fiber, a wide light irradiation area can be obtained around the tube. Further, by the optical fiber is also periodically round trip motion repeatedly, it is possible to continue to irradiate the long activation light over a wide light radiated area, continuous light to a specific part locations of the tube As a result, the thin tube is prevented from being melted or carbonized by the light irradiation heat, and the tube can be used for a long time.

[0022]

Further, this onset Ming cancer therapeutic instrument, the scattering plane at the tip of the optical fiber as the activation light from the distal end of the optical fiber disposed within the tube is injected spread over a predetermined solid angle It is provided with. Here, in this onset Ming cancer <br/> therapeutic instrument, emitted light of the light flux density is maximum injection solid angle indicating the spread of the injected are activated light on a spherical surface centered on the central end of the optical fiber The scattering plane at the tip of the optical fiber is defined as a plane having an emission solid angle of 0.12 steradians or more because the scattering plane of this degree is rough polishing such as a file. The activation light can be easily and inexpensively obtained, and the activation light spreads to the extent that it satisfies this condition, so that the activation light irradiates a wide area of the affected area without providing a scatterer separate from the optical fiber. The reason is that the therapeutic effect can be improved.

[0024] The aboveThe present inventionCancer treatmentIn a bowlHeyhand,Ju
The main raw material of the probe is polyurethane, polyacetal, or
Is made of nylon 11 so that the light
Transparent, flexible structure that does not hurt the human body
Non-toxic tubes are realized. Also, polyaceta
Is hard to carbonize even when irradiated with strong light
There are advantages too. In the case of nylon 11, a cheap and robust
Can form a tube.

Further, by sharpening the tip of the tube, it becomes easy to insert the tube into the affected part. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the concentration of the photosensitizer in the normal cells continues to decrease even during the phototherapy effective period. Oxygen is less likely to be generated, and therefore, by irradiating with stronger activation light over time, a further therapeutic effect can be achieved.

The cancer therapeutic instrument of the present invention can provide an inexpensive tube and optical fibers to withstand prolonged use obtained have a wide irradiation area, inexpensive incineration possible tube only every patient Or it can be disposable for each treatment, and it is excellent in terms of usability and hygiene management.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the cancer treatment device of the present invention. The cancer treatment device 10 is provided with a disposable tube 11, and a distal end 11a of the tube 11 is inserted into an affected part of a patient's body having a cancer or tumor. This tube 11 is made of, for example, polyacetal,
The outer diameter is about 1 mm.

The cancer treatment device 10 includes an optical fiber 1
2 are wound around the first reel 13 and the second reel 14, and are fixed to the first reel 13 and the second reel 14 by fixtures 13a and 14a, respectively. The tip 12a of the optical fiber 12 on the side of the second reel 14 is inserted into the tube 11, and the tube 1
1 has reached the tip 11a. Optical fiber 1
The second incident end 12b is connected to the laser light source 15. The laser light source 15 emits a laser beam having a wavelength used as the activating light,
2b enters the optical fiber 12. The laser light source 15 is capable of emitting a variable amount of laser light, and the amount of light is changed over time by a control circuit (not shown). Details will be described later. The laser light incident on the optical fiber 12 propagates through the optical fiber 12 and is emitted from the tip inserted into the tube 11.

The first reel 13 is connected to a shaft 16a of a torque motor 16, and the first reel 13 is driven by the torque motor 16.
It is urged in the direction of arrow A shown in the figure. A rod 17 having an external thread is fixed to the second reel 14. The rod 17 is screwed with a fixed bearing 18, and a shaft 20 a of a reversible motor 20 is coupled via a coupling 19. Is linked to The fixed bearing 18 is fixed to a base or the like (not shown). The reversible motor 20 is a motor that can rotate in both forward and reverse rotations. The rotation of the motor body is prevented by a guide member (not shown), and the entire motor is guided so as to be movable back and forth (left and right in FIG. 1). Have been.

When the reversible motor 20 rotates forward, the rod 17
Is rotated forward, and since the rod 17 is screwed with the fixed bearing 18, the rod 17 advances together with the reversible motor 20 and advances while rotating the second reel 14. At this time, the second reel 14 pulls the optical fiber 12 wound around the first reel 13 and winds the optical fiber 12 around the second reel 14, while pushing the distal end portion 12 a of the optical fiber 12 into the tube 11. While the optical fiber 12 is
Is rotated in the forward direction with the longitudinal direction of the shaft as an axis. When the reversible motor 20 rotates in the reverse direction, the rod 17 moves backward while rotating in the reverse direction, and the portion of the optical fiber 12 that has been wound on the second reel 14 is rewound and wound on the first reel 13, The distal end portion 12a of the optical fiber 12 moves in a direction in which it is pulled out of the tube 11 while rotating in the opposite direction. The control circuit (not shown) for controlling the reversible motor 20 is provided with a timer, and the reversible motor 20 repeats the forward and reverse rotations each time the timer expires, whereby the tip 12a of the optical fiber 12 is turned into a tube. 1
Within 1, the periodic reciprocating motion and the rotating motion are repeated.

Here, the tip 1 of the optical fiber 12 is used.
2a shows an example in which both reciprocating motion and rotational motion are given. For example, if the fixed bearing is removed and the reversible motor 20 is fixed, the tip 12a of the optical fiber 12 performs only rotational motion. The fixed bearing 18 is removed, and the shaft 20 of the reversible motor 20 is replaced with the coupling 19.
If the rod 17 and the shaft 20a of the reversible motor 20 are connected via a gear structure or the like that converts the rotational motion of the optical fiber a into a linear motion, only the reciprocating motion in the longitudinal direction of the tube is given to the distal end portion 12a of the optical fiber 12. You can also.

When using the cancer treatment device 10 shown in FIG. 1, a photosensitizer is injected into the affected part, and a tube 11 is placed in the affected part.
Is inserted, the distal end portion 12 of the optical fiber 12 is inserted into the tube, and the operation is started after a predetermined standby time has elapsed. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the distal end 11a of the tube 11 inserted into the affected part 30 and the distal end 12a of the optical fiber 12 inserted into the tube 11.

The distal end 11c of the distal end 11a of the tube 11 is closed so that bodily fluid does not enter into the inside, and the distal end 12a of the optical fiber 12 inserted into the distal end 11a of the tube 11 has a further distal end. It has a tip surface 12c that is cut diagonally as shown. The laser light propagating inside the optical fiber 12 is applied to the tip end face 12c.
Is reflected from the tube 12 and is emitted from the side of the tube 12 so that the affected part 3
It is irradiated to 0.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in the irradiation area of the laser beam due to the movement of the optical fiber 12. In the state of FIG. 3 (A), a laser beam is applied to a partial area 30a of the affected part 30, and when the distal end portion 12a of the optical fiber 12 moves in a direction to be pulled out of the tube 11 while rotating, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 (B), another partial area 30b of the affected part 30 is irradiated with laser light, and the tip 12a of the optical fiber 12 further rotates and moves, and when the state shown in FIG.
The laser light is applied to still another partial area 30c of the zero. In this way, the distal end portion 12a of the optical fiber 12 reciprocates and rotates in the tube 11, thereby forming the affected part 30.
The laser light is evenly and repeatedly applied over the entire area of the laser beam.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state where two tubes 11 are inserted into the affected part 30 and a heat pipe 40 is further inserted. When the size of the diseased part 30 is large, a plurality of tubes 11 are inserted as shown in the figure, and laser light is emitted from the plurality of optical fibers 12, so that the entire area of the diseased part 30 is irradiated with laser light in one treatment. You may do so. When the laser beam is continuously irradiated, the affected part 30 has heat. If it is desired to reduce the heat, the heat pipe 40 may be inserted into the affected part 30 to cool the affected part 30 as illustrated. Alternatively, the affected part 30 may be further heated by the heat pipe 40, and the above-described heat treatment may be used together with the light treatment.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing a tube and an end of an optical fiber of another embodiment of the cancer treatment apparatus of the present invention. The distal end 11c of the tube 11 has an open mouth, and the scatterer 21 is fitted and fixed in the mouth, and plays the role of a stopper for closing the mouth. The scatterer 21 and the tube 11 are both made of polyacetal. The optical fiber 1 is placed inside the tube 11.
2 is inserted. It is preferable that the optical fiber 12 can be inserted into and removed from the tube 11, but at the time of treatment,
The optical fiber 12 is arranged at a predetermined position inside the tube 11, and does not move or rotate.

The front end face 12c of the optical fiber 12 is cut vertically, and the rear end face 21a of the scatterer 21 is also formed so as to face the front end face 12c of the optical fiber 12. A part of the laser light emitted from the scatterer 12c is reflected by the rear end face 21a of the scatterer 21 and is emitted from the tube 11, and the other part is a scatterer 2
1 through the inside of the tube 11 or the scatterer 21
It is ejected from the tip of. With such a simple configuration, an omnidirectional light source that emits laser light from this tip in almost all directions is realized. This light source can irradiate laser light in all directions with a tube inserted into the affected part and an optical fiber inserted into the tube and kept still, which is particularly effective when the size of the affected part is small. .

FIG. 6 is a view showing the tip of an optical fiber and the spread of emitted light in another embodiment of the cancer treatment device of the present invention. Tip surface 12c of optical fiber 12
Is vertically cut, but the tip surface 12c is roughly polished with a file, and the laser beam emitted from the tip surface 12c has a beam diameter D at a position 10 cm ahead of the tip surface 12c. It is spread and ejected so as to be ≧ 2 cm.

The optical fiber 12 having the distal end face 12c processed so that the laser light is spread and emitted as described above is inserted into a tube.
In the case of a large affected part, the affected part is irradiated with laser light while reciprocating in the tube. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the distal end of the tube. In FIG. 7 (A), the distal end of the tube 11 having a closed end is processed into a needle-like sharpened shape. In FIG. 7 (B), a plug 22 is fitted into the tube 11 having an open distal end. The tip including the stopper is machined into a needle-like shape. Note that the dashed line in FIG. 7B shows the shape before processing. Thus, the tube 11
By sharpening the tip of the tube 11, the tube 11 can be smoothly inserted into the affected part.

The distal end of the tube 11 does not need to be pointed in a conical shape, and a simple diagonal cut or an inexpensive processing method such as a triangular pyramid cut is sufficient. FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of a temporal change in the amount of laser light emitted from the laser light source 15 (see FIG. 1).

In the early stage of the phototherapy effective period shown in FIG. 9, the photosensitizer still remains in normal cells to some extent.
Light is emitted at a weaker amount of light, and the amount of light is increased as time passes and the photosensitizer is excreted from normal cells. This will minimize harm to normal cells,
The maximum therapeutic effect can be achieved. In each of the above embodiments, the tube 11 and the scatterer 21 are described as being made of polyacetal.
1 may be made of polyurethane or nylon 11, and may be made of other materials.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Effectively irradiates the affected area with activating light to improve the effects of phototherapy, reduces the burden on the patient, and allows the use of disposable tubes, resulting in a cancer treatment device that is excellent in terms of safety and health. I do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a cancer treatment device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view showing a distal end of a tube inserted into an affected part and an optical fiber inserted through the tube.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a change in an irradiation area of laser light due to movement of an optical fiber.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which two tubes are inserted into an affected part and a heat pipe is further inserted.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view showing a distal end portion of a tube and an optical fiber of another embodiment of the cancer treatment device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a tip of an optical fiber and a state of spread of emitted light in another embodiment of the cancer treatment device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a distal end portion of a tube.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing a time change of the light amount of the laser light emitted from the laser light source.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing an example of a relative concentration of a photosensitizer remaining in cells with respect to an elapsed time from a point in time when a photosensitizer is injected into a body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 cancer treatment device 11 tube 11 a tip of tube 12 optical fiber 12 a tip of optical fiber 12 b incident end of optical fiber 12 c tip of optical fiber 13, 14 reel 15 laser light source 16 torque motor 17 rod 20 reversible motor 21 scatterer 22 stopper 30 affected part 40 heat pipe

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tatsuru Hirano, 1126-1, Nomachi, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka Prefecture Inside Hamamatsu Photonics Co., Ltd. References JP-A-62-299915 (JP, A) JP-A-1-135369 (JP, A) JP-A-4-38945 (JP, A) JP-A-4-166168 (JP, A) JP-A-2 JP-A-98373 (JP, A) JP-A-59-95065 (JP, A) JP-A-3-501817 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61N 5/06 A61B 17/36 350

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A catheter-type penetrating body comprising: a light-transmissive tube having a closed end, the distal end of which is inserted into a treatment body; and an optical fiber having a distal end slidably disposed in the tube. A predetermined activating light is emitted, the activating light propagates through the optical fiber, and the activating light is emitted from the tip of the optical fiber on the side arranged in the tube. light source enters the optical fiber, and wherein said optical fiber disposed within the tube, within the tube, comprising a driving mechanism for driving the optical fiber to perform a round trip motion in the longitudinal direction of the tube A cancer treatment device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said drive mechanism is disposed in said tube.
Reciprocated in the longitudinal direction of the tube
And a rotational movement with the longitudinal direction as a rotation axis.
Cancer therapeutic instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that to effect. 3. The optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein said optical fiber is a tip of said optical fiber.
A plane oblique to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.
Cancer therapeutic instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that it has. 4. The driving mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber has a periodicity.
Drive the optical fiber to perform a typical reciprocating motion.
The cancer treatment device according to claim 1, wherein: 5. Light emitted from a tip of the optical fiber.
The output solid angle indicating the spread of
The maximum luminous flux density of the emitted light on a spherical surface centered at
When it is defined as an area that is 0.37 times or more of
When the tip of the iva is set to 0.12 steradians or less
2. The cancer treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein the cancer treatment device is a flat surface . 6. The tube according to claim 1, wherein said tube is made of polyurethane, polya.
Plastic containing Cetal or Nylon 11
Cancer therapeutic instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of the material. 7. The tube to be treated, wherein said tube is
At the distal end inserted into the body, the tube
Toward the distal end, to perpendicular to the longitudinal Direction of the tube
Cancer therapeutic instrument according to claim 1, wherein the area of the cut surface is characterized by having a reduced apical head that. 8. The light source is incident on the optical fiber.
The incident light amount of the activating light is continuously changed with time.
2. The cancer treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein the cancer treatment device is increased gradually .