THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTICANCER AGENT RELEASING MICROCAPSULE MADE OF FERROMAGNETIC AMORPHOUS FLAKES FOR INTRATISSUE HYPERTHERMIA

For intratissue hyperthermia, we have developed a heating method using microcapsules made of ferromagnetic amorphous metal Bakes that is add itionally capable of releasing anticancer agents, The capsules fan be used in at suspension to infuse them into a tumor. The capsules genera te heat in an alternating magnetic field (185 KHz), which avoids heat generation in the body itself. At a certain intensity of the magnetic field, the maximum temperature of the capsule is determined by the Cur ie point of the amorphous metal. The Curie point near room temperature can be readily set in 1 degrees C increments. After reaching the maxi mum temperature, the capsule maintains temperature by itself within an accuracy of +/-0.5 degrees C. In animal experiments, the capsules gen erate sufficient heat for intratissue hyperthermia with the enhanced r eleasing of the anticancer agent. These findings suggest the safety an d usefulness of this method for hyperthermia combined with intensive c hemotherapy because invasive temperature monitoring associated with in fection is not necessary.