# US 12,109,412 B2 · Combination electrical and chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,412 B2 - Document ID: US12109412B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/850,728 - Filed: 2020-04-16 - Published: 2020-10-22 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-22 - Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. - Applicants: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. - Inventors: Brian L. Schmidt; Benjamin Keith Stein; Keith R. Maile; Ron A. Balczewski; Aleksandra Kharam - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109412B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/32: alternating or intermittent currents {(applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02)} - A61N 1/36002: {Cancer treatment, e.g. tumour} - A61B 10/02: Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy {(A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48)} - A61N 1/05: for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode (A61N1/06 takes precedence) - A61N 5/0601: {Apparatus for use inside the body} - A61P 35/00: Antineoplastic agents - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS ## Abstract Embodiments herein relate to a method for treating a cancerous tumor located within a subject. The method can include applying one or more electric fields at or near a site of the cancerous tumor, where the cancerous tumor can include a cancerous cell population. The one or more applied electric fields are effective to delay mitosis and cause mitotic synchronization within a proportion of the cancerous cell population. The method can include removing the one or more electric fields to allow mitosis to proceed within the cancerous cell population. The method can include administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the subject after the one or more electric fields have been removed. Other embodiments are also included herein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for treating a cancerous tumor located within a subject comprising: applying one or more electric fields at or near a site of the cancerous tumor, the cancerous tumor comprising a cancerous cell population; wherein the one or more applied electric fields are effective to delay mitosis and cause mitotic synchronization within a proportion of the cancerous cell population; receiving a pause command from the subject and/or a care provider, wherein the pause command causes cessation of the one or more electric fields to allow mitosis to proceed within the cancerous cell population; reinitiating the one or more electric fields after a time period has elapsed after receiving the pause command, wherein the one or more electric fields is decreased by at least 50% for at least 4 hours; and administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the subject after the one or more electric fields have been removed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the one or more electric fields to the cancerous tumor comprises applying the one or more electric fields over a time period selected from a range of time periods from 1 minute to 24 hours. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising administering the chemotherapeutic agent to the subject when at least 5% of the cancerous cell population is synchronized in mitosis in response to the one or more electric fields. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electric fields are applied to the cancerous tumor at frequencies selected from a range of between 100 kHz to 300 kHz. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more electric fields comprise an electric field strength selected from a range of electric field strengths from 3 V/cm to 5 V/cm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is administered to the subject in a therapeutically effective dose. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the one or more electric fields to the subject comprises applying the one or more electric fields to an exterior of the subject at or near the site of the cancerous tumor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the one or more electric fields to the cancerous tumor comprises applying the one or more electric fields at least partially to an interior of the subject at or near the site of the cancerous tumor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the one or more electric fields to the cancerous tumor comprises applying the one or more electric fields at least partially to an exterior of the subject at or near the site of the cancerous tumor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the medical device further comprises one or more electrical leads in electrical communication with an electric field generating circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more electrical leads comprise one or more optical emitters disposed along a length of the one or more electrical leads. ### Claim 12 A method for treating a cancerous tumor located within a subject comprising: applying a first electric field having at first field strength at or near a site of the cancerous tumor, the cancerous tumor comprising a cancerous cell population; removing the first electric field to allow mitosis to proceed within the cancerous cell population; applying a second electric field having a second field strength at or near the site of the cancerous tumor; and administering a chemotherapeutic agent to the subject after the first electric field and the second electric field have been removed; wherein the first electric field and the second electric field are effective to delay mitosis and cause mitotic synchronization within a proportion of the cancerous cell population; and wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is administered to the subject 5 to 180 minutes after the first electric field and the second electric field have been removed. ### Claim 13 A method for treating a cancerous tumor located within a subject comprising: applying one or more electric fields at or near a site of the cancerous tumor, the cancerous tumor comprising a cancerous cell population; wherein the one or more applied electric fields are effective to delay mitosis and cause mitotic synchronization within a proportion of the cancerous cell population; removing the one or more electric fields to allow mitosis to proceed within the cancerous cell population; and administering the chemotherapeutic agent to the subject when at least 5% of the cancerous cell population is synchronized in mitosis in response to the one or more electric fields.