背景：波長4~14 μm之遠紅外線，已被證實能被生物體有效地吸收，其對人體生理機能有正面影響，被稱之為「生育光線」或「生育之光」（growth ray），並廣泛應用於自然療法中。然而，目前關於遠紅外線對癌症細胞影響之研究仍非常少見，為一相當有趣且值得加以探討之主題。 目的：本研究旨在藉由體外細胞實驗，探討遠紅外線（4~14 μm）照射對人類子宮頸癌細胞（human cervical carcinoma）之生長抑制影響。 研究方法：本實驗以遠紅外線設備釋放4~14 μm之遠紅外光線，對人類子宮頸癌細胞株(CC7)進行體外培養照射，分別以不同照射時間(30、60、90 min)及不同照射溫度(室溫(RT)、37℃、45℃與55℃)，每天照射2次，連續處理3天。細胞株在接受光照處理後，繼續培養3天，而後進行觀察及細胞存活度計數，以評估細胞生長之情形、分析細胞週期之變化以及檢測細胞凋亡現象。 結果：本研究結果顯示，遠紅外線照射對人類子宮頸癌細胞株具顯著的生長抑制效果，且其抑制效果會隨著照射的時間及照射溫度的增加而呈現正相關性，顯示遠紅外線照射確實具有抑制人類子宮頸癌細胞之生長效果。更進一步的研究顯示，遠紅外線照射對人類子宮頸癌細胞株具有停滯細胞週期及細胞死亡的現象，主要是造成G0/G1期之細胞週期的停滯。 結論：本實驗之結果顯示：遠紅外線照射可經由適當的溫度與時間上的調配，對人類子宮頸癌細胞株之生長情形及細胞週期抑制產生不同程度之影響。此現象可推論遠紅外線照射有應用於癌症輔助醫療之潛力。 Background: Far-infrared ray (FIR) at 4-14 μm, also called “growth ray”, is widely applied in natural therapies, which has been verified to be effectively absorbed by organisms and exerting positive effects on physical functions in human. However, relative research regarding the effects of FIR on cancer cells is unclear. Accordingly, it is an interesting issue worthy to be investigated. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of irradiation by FIR (4-14 μm) on cell growth of human cervical carcinoma in vitro. Methods: Human cervical carcinoma (CC7) was irradiated by far-infrared rays emitted from an FIR emission facility set at various temperatures (room temperature (RT), 37℃, 45℃ and 55℃) for various time periods (30, 60, 90 min). The cancer cells were treated twice a day for 3 days consecutively. Photo images and cell counting were taken to evaluate the variation of growth and the cell cycles of the cancer cells was also determined. Results： The results indicate that FIR irradiation is significantly effective in growth inhibition of human cervical carcinoma. Additionally, the inhibitive effect is positively correlated to the increase of irradiation time and temperatures, indicating that FIR irradiation is able to suppress the growth of human cervical carcinoma. Further, the phenomena of cell cycle progression arrest and cell death of human cervical carcinoma was discovered after FIR irradiation. Conclusion: The results indicate that FIR irradiation is able to inhibit the growth and the cell cycle of human cervical carcinoma to different extent. According to the results, FIR irradiation has potential to be a complimentary method in cancer therapy.
