INTERSTITIAL NDYAG LASER HYPERTHERMIA SYSTEM

IT IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A NDYAG (NEODYMIUM-YITRIUM-ALUMINUM-GARNET) LASER BASED SYSTEM FOR INTERSTITIAL AND EXTERNAL BEAM HYPERTHERMIA FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANCER. BASED ON DATA TODAY, SUCH A SYSTEM COULD PROVIDE A VERY COST EFFECTIVE METHOD WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE PRESENT MICROWAVE AND RADIOFREQUENCY SYSTEMS. IT WOULD PROVIDE LOCAL HYPERTHERMICHEATING WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE/DESTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS AND WHICH CAN BE MONITORED AND CONTROLLED BY THE USE OF AN INEXPENSIVE MICROTHERMAL COUPLE SYSTEM. PHASE-I STUDIES WILL INCLUDE (1) DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMUM NDYAG WAVELENGTH TO BE USED (1.06 OR 1.32 MICRONS), (2) WHAT IS THE ACTUAL DELIVERED POWER REQUIRED TO RAISE A GIVEN VOLUME OF TISSUE TO 45 DEGREES, (3) WHAT IS THERMAL DISTRIBUTION GENERATED IN-VIVO (RAT MODEL), AND (4) EVALUATION OF THERMAL COUPLE MONITORING AND FEEDBACK CONTROL MECHANISM FOR THE SYSTEM. THE INFORMATION OBTAINED IN PHASE-I WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP A MORE COMPLETE SYSTEM IN PHASE-II AIMED AT MORE ADVANCED ANIMAL AND CLINICAL TESTING. IF SUCH A SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE FROM BOTH A THERAPEUTIC AND COST PERSPECTIVE, ITS COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL WOULD BE GREAT. HYPERTHERMIA IS FINDING EXPANDED USE IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER MODALITIES SUCH AS RADIATION THERAPY, CHEMO THERAPY, AND POTENTIALLY PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY. SUCH A SYSTEM MAY SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASE OR ELIMINATE THE PRESENT PROBLEMS OF MICROWAVE OR RADIO FREQUENCY HYPERTHERMIA DEVICES, WHICH INCLUDE HEAT LOCALIZATION, CONTROL, TEMPERATURE MONITORING AND COST.