Radio frequency treatment of tumors while inducing hypotension

Abstract

The method of treating tumors by radio frequency heating at the location of the tumor to cause necrosis of the tumor tissue in which hypotension is induced during the treatment.

I claim: .[.1. In the method of treating a naturally occurring tumor in a human by placing the portion of the body of the human in which the tumor is located in a radio frequency electromagnetic field thereby to heat the tumor tissue in said portion of said body by absorption of energy from said radio frequency electromagnetic field for a period of tiime and with intensity sufficient to cause necrosis of said tumor, but insufficient to cause significant damage to the adjacent normal tissue in said field, the improvement which comprises inducing hypotension in said human while treating said tumor with said radio frequency electromagnetic field..]. 
     
           The method according to claim 1 in which said hypotension is induced by 
     
     
        use of drugs. 3. The method according to claim 1 in which said hypotension is induced by the use of a drug selected from the group consisting of vasodilators, vasodepressors, anti-hypertensive agents and alpha-blocking 
     
     
        agents. 4. The method according to claim 1 in which said hypotension is induced by the use of a drug selected from the group consisting of trimethaphan camsylate, erythrityl tetranitrate, amyl nitrate and 
     
     
        phentolamine. .Iadd.5.  A method of treating a naturally occurring tumor in a human comprising: placing a portion of the body of the human in which the tumor is located in a radio frequency electromagnetic field ranging in frequency from 100 kilohertz to less than 1000 megahertz, heating the tumor tissue in said portion of said body by absorption of energy from said radio frequency electromagnetic field for a period of time and with intensity sufficient to cause necrosis of said tumor, but insufficient to cause significant damage to the adjacent normal tissue in said field, 
     
     
        while inducing hypotension in said body portion..Iaddend. .Iadd.6.  A method of treating a naturally occurring tumor in a human comprising: placing a portion of the body of the human in which the tumor is located in a radio frequency electromagnetic field ranging in frequency from 100 kilohertz to 200 megahertz, heating the tumor tissue in said portion of said body by absorption of energy from said radio frequency electromagnetic field for a period of time and with intensity sufficient to cause necrosis of said tumor, but insufficient to cause significant damage to the adjacent normal tissue in said field, while inducing 
     
     
        hypotension in said body portion..Iaddend. .Iadd.7.  A method of treating a naturally occurring tumor in a human which comprises placing a portion of the body of the human in which the tumor is located in a radio frequency electromagnetic field ranging from 100 kilohertz to 200 megahertz, heating the tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue in said portion of said body by absorption of energy from said radio frequency electromagnetic field for a period of time and with intensity sufficient to heat said tumor tissue at least 6° C. above the temperature of the adjacent normal tissue to cause necrosis of said tumor tissue, but insufficient to heat said adjacent normal tissue above 40° C. to cause significant damage to the adjacent normal tissue, while inducing hypotension in said body portion..Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said tumor tissue is heated in a range of 6° C. to 10° C. above the temperature of the adjacent normal tissue..Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The method according to claim 7 wherein said radio frequency electromagnetic field is 13.56 megahertz..Iaddend.