Devices and methods for the treatment of cancer

Abstract

The invention relates to the treatment of cancer. In particular the invention relates to an internal therapeutic product comprising: (i) an anti-cancer component selected from one or both of: a radionucleotide, a cytotoxic drug; and (ii) a silicon component selected from one or more of: resorbable silicon, biocompatible silicon, bioactive silicon, porous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and bulk crystalline silicon, the internal therapeutic product being for the treatment of cancer.

1 . An internal therapeutic product comprising:
 (i) an anti-cancer component comprising at least one radionucleotide and/or at least one cytotoxic drug; and   (ii) a silicon component selected from one or more of: resorbable silicon, biocompatible silicon, bioactive silicon, porous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and bulk crystalline silicon.   
     
     
         2 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that therapeutic product comprises at least one implant. 
     
     
         3 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 2  wherein the or at least one is of the implants comprises at least part of the silicon component and at least part of the anti-cancer component. 
     
     
         4 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that the silicon component comprises resorbable silicon. 
     
     
         5 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that the silicon component comprises resorbable silicon and the anti-cancer component comprises a radionucleotide, the radionucleotide being distributed through at least part of the resorbable silicon. 
     
     
         6 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 3  characterised in that the or at least one of the implants comprises resorbable silicon and a radionucleotide, the resorbable silicon having a structure and composition such that substantially all the radionucleotide remains in and/or on at least part of the or at least one of the implants for a period, measured from the time of implantation, greater than the half life of the radionucleotide. 
     
     
         7 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 3  characterised in that the or at least one of the implants may comprise resorbable silicon and a cytotoxic drug, the resorbable silicon having a structure and composition such that the implant remains sufficiently intact to substantially localise the drug release at the site of the implant. 
     
     
         8 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that anti-cancer agent comprises a radionucleotide, and the radionucleotide is selected from one or more of:  90 Y,  32 P,  124 Sb,  114 In,  59 Fe,  76 As,  140 La,  47 Ca,  103 Pd,  89 Sr,  131 I,  125 I,  60 Co,  192 Ir, and  198 Au. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a cancer, the method comprising the step of introducing an internal therapeutic product into a patient, the internal therapeutic product comprising:
 (i) a silicon component selected from one or more of: resorbable silicon, biocompatible silicon, bioactive silicon, porous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, bulk crystalline silicon; and   (ii) an anti-cancer component comprises at least one radionucleotide and/or at least one cytotoxic drug.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  characterised in that the internal therapeutic product comprises at least one implant, the step of introducing the internal therapeutic product comprising the step of implanting the or at least one of the implants into the body of a patient. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  characterised in that the or at least one of the implants comprises at least part of the silicon component and at least part of the anti-cancer component. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11  characterised in that the or at least one of the implants comprises resorbable silicon and a cytotoxic drug, the method of treating a cancer comprising the further step of releasing at least part of the cytotoxic drug in such a manner that the release of the cytotoxic drug remains substantially localised to the point of implantation. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  characterised in that the or at least one of the implants comprises resorbable silicon and a radionucleotide, the method of treating a cancer comprising the step of treating part of the patient's body with radiation from the radionucleotide in such a manner that the radiation treatment is localised to the point of implantation, and comprising the further step of allowing the silicon to substantially completely resorb once the half life of the radionucleotide has been exceeded. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9  characterised in that the internal therapeutic product comprises a radionucleotide and a cytotoxic drug and the method of is treating cancer comprises the further step of combining the radionucleotide and the cytotoxic agent less than 10 hours prior the introduction of the therapeutic product to the patient. 
     
     
         15 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that the anti-cancer component comprise a radionucleotide having a structure and composition obtainable by the transmutation of porous silicon. 
     
     
         16 . An internal therapeutic product according to  claim 1  characterised in that the anti-cancer component comprise a radionucleotide having a structure and composition obtainable by the transmutation of germanium atoms that form part of a porous silicon germanium alloy.