Cancer Therapy Utilizing Molecular Layer Deposition and Self-Organized Lightwave Network: Proposal and Theoretical Prediction

Abstract

Cancer therapy utilizing the molecular layer deposition (MLD) and the self-organized lightwave network (SOLNET) is proposed. The MLD is a growth method, in which different kinds of molecules are sequentially provided to a substrate to synthesize organic tailored materials with designated molecular arrangements. The first proposal is the selective delivery of multifunctional materials, containing luminescent molecules for imaging, sensitizers for photodynamic therapy, paramagnetic agent, and so on, to cancer cells by the MLD. The second proposal is the in situ synthesis of drugs, especially, large and toxic ones, at cancer cell sites by the MLD to deliver the drugs efficiently deep inside the cancer without attacking normal cells. The third proposal is the SOLNET-assisted laser surgery. After luminescent molecules are adsorbed in cancer cells by the MLD, a write beam is introduced from an optical fiber into the area containing cancer cells through photoinduced refractive index increase materials to construct self-aligned optical waveguides of the SOLNET connecting the optical fiber to the cancer cells. Surgery laser beams are guided to cancer cells by the SOLNET. A proof-of-concept, which indicates that the surgery laser beams are guided toward cancer cell targets selectively, is presented by a simulation using the finite-difference time-domain method and a preliminary experimental observation.