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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-421-2

International Heat Transfer Conference 15
August, 10-15, 2014, Kyoto, Japan

Ways Toward Targeted Freezing or Heating Ablation of Malignant Tumor: Precisely Managing the Heat Delivery Inside Biological Systems

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC15.kn.000016
pages 311-335

Abstract

The minimally invasive freezing or heating ablation of tumor, commonly known as cryosurgery or hyperthermia, is increasingly adopted as an important weapon to attack cancer disease. A most critical issue impeding the success of such physical therapies lies in the precise delivery of external heat or cold to the target tissues, which however still remained a tough challenge so far. This article aims to synergistically discuss the hyperthermia and cryosurgical ablation modalities together by way of their common temperature variation basis. It is dedicated to comprehensively interpret the clinics oriented complex multi-scale bioheat transfer issues either with or without phase change and summarize the author lab's latest research efforts toward a highly conformal ablation in order to effectively overcome the ubiquitous shortcomings facing conventional approaches. The topic covers the treatment planning, precise management of heat transport from cell to organ level as well as development of related therapeutic materials, and devices therein. Critical factors to result in irregular bioheat transfer were briefly outlined. Selective administration of multi-array heating or freezing probes or their combinations either in space or temporal category to realize desired conformal ablation on irregular tumors were illustrated. Further, nanotechnologies mediated heating or freezing ablation was especially evaluated. Regarding the freezing therapy, the nano-cryosurgery, a combination when nanotechnology meets with cryobiology, were introduced. Its unique roles in inducing cell level ice nucleation, maximizing freezing heat transfer, regulating directional ice-ball formation, and breaking up thermal barriers of large blood vessels during freezing were summarized. For the hyperthermia therapy, biodegradable nanoparticles assisted laser therapy as well as chemicals enabled self-heating therapy via exothermic chemical reaction between injected reactants and diseased tissues were presented. Further, to administrate an accurate enough surgical ablation either by low or high temperature apparatus or a hybrid one, several important issues such as MRI guided treatment planning including nanoparticles enhanced heat transfer to tackle irregular tissue anatomies and discrete large blood vessels were discussed. Lastly, several latest freezing or heating biomedical technological modalities were commented, with translational medical prospects explained. It is expected that a precise understanding, planning and managing of heat transport inside the target tissues will drive the way for future high quality tumor treatment.