Method and apparatus for cancer treatment

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for treatment of cancer are provided. The method can include systemic delivery of A3 selective adenosine receptor (A3AR) agonists CI-IB-MECA, cordycepin or similar drugs and providing simultaneous pulsed Electric Field (EF) stimulation to the treatment area. EF stimulation can be delivered in three orthogonal directions, which significantly increases expression of A3ARs on the cellular membranes and allows achieving a downstream apoptotic signal that is 4-6 fold stronger than the signal achieved with the agonist drugs alone.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a cancerous tumor in a patient, comprising:
 providing pulsed electric field stimulation to the tumor to increase the expression of A3ARs on a surface of cancer cells of the tumor; and   delivering a dose of A3AR agonist to the patient to induce apoptosis of the cancer cells of the tumor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing electric field stimulation to the tumor comprises arranging a first coil, a second coil and a third coil secured in an applicator on three mutually orthogonal planes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first, second and third coils are arranged such that a straight line drawn perpendicular from each coil defines an intersection of the lines vertically below the applicator at a point where a stimulating electrical field for each of the first, second and third coils is at a maximum value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising configuring the applicator as a triangular pyramid and arranging each of the first, second and third coils on a separate plane of the triangular pyramid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the electric field stimulation is applied following A3AR agonist delivery. 
     
     
         6 . A method of opening a patient's blood-brain barrier to their brain, comprising:
 delivering a systemic dose of A2aAR agonist to the patient; and   providing pulsed electric field stimulation (EFS) to the brain of the patient.   
     
     
         7 . The method of opening the patient's blood-brain barrier of  claim 6 , wherein the EFS is one-dimensional. 
     
     
         8 . The method of opening the patient's blood-brain barrier of  claim 6 , wherein the EFS is two-dimensional. 
     
     
         9 . The method of opening the patient's blood-brain barrier of  claim 6 , wherein the EFS is three-dimensional. 
     
     
         10 . A method of inducing apoptosis of cancer cells of a tumor in the brain of a patient, comprising:
 delivering a systemic dose of an A2aAR agonist to the patient;   providing electric field stimulation to the brain to simultaneously increase the expression of A2aARs on the cells responsible for blood-brain barrier permeation and the expression of A3ARs on the surface of cancer cells of the tumor; and   delivering a systemic dose of A3AR agonist to the patient that reaches the tumor in the brain via the permeated blood-brain barrier.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dose of A2aAR agonist and the dose of A3AR agonist are delivered to the patient simultaneously. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the A3AR agonist is cordycepin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of providing PEMF stimulation to the tumor comprises arranging a first coil, a second coil and a third coil in an applicator such that a straight line drawn perpendicular from each coil defines an intersection of the lines vertically below the applicator at a point where a stimulating electrical field for each of the first, second and third coils is at a maximum value.