TTFields alone and in combination with chemotherapeutic agents effectively reduce the viability of MDR cell sub-lines that over-express ABC transporters.

Background: Exposure of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents may result in reduced sensitivity to structurally unrelated agents, a phenomenon known as multidrug resistance, MDR. The purpose of this study is to investigate cell growth inhibition of wild type and the corresponding MDR cells by Tumor Treating Fields--TTFields, a new cancer treatment modality that is free of systemic toxicity. The TTFields were applied alone and in combination with paclitaxel and doxorubicin.

Alternating electric fields (TTFields) inhibit metastatic spread of solid tumors to the lungs.

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) are low intensity, intermediate frequency, alternating electric fields used to treat cancerous tumors. This novel treatment modality effectively inhibits the growth of solid tumors in vivo and has shown promise in pilot clinical trials in patients with advanced stage solid tumors. TTFields were tested for their potential to inhibit metastatic spread of solid tumors to the lungs in two animal models: (1) Mice injected with malignant melanoma cells (B16F10) into the tail vein, (2) New Zealand White rabbits implanted with VX-2 tumors within the kidney capsule.

Chemotherapeutic treatment efficacy and sensitivity are increased by adjuvant alternating electric fields (TTFields).

Background: The present study explores the efficacy and toxicity of combining a new, non-toxic, cancer treatment modality, termed Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), with chemotherapeutic treatment in-vitro, in-vivo and in a pilot clinical trial.

Methods: Cell proliferation in culture was studied in human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231) and human glioma (U-118) cell lines, exposed to TTFields, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and dacarbazine (DTIC) separately and in combinations. In addition, we studied the effects of combining chemotherapy with TTFields in an animal tumor model and in a pilot clinical trial in recurrent and newly diagnosed GBM patients.

Microbial growth inhibition by alternating electric fields.

Weak electric currents generated using conductive electrodes have been shown to increase the efficacy of antibiotics against bacterial biofilms, a phenomenon termed "the bioelectric effect." The purposes of the present study were (i) to find out whether insulated electrodes that generate electric fields without "ohmic" electric currents, and thus are not associated with the formation of metal ions and free radicals, can inhibit the growth of planktonic bacteria and (ii) to define the parameters that are most effective against bacterial growth. The results obtained indicate that electric fields generated using insulated electrodes can inhibit the growth of planktonic Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and that the effect is amplitude and frequency dependent, with a maximum at 10 MHz.

Alternating electric fields arrest cell proliferation in animal tumor models and human brain tumors.

We have recently shown that low intensity, intermediate frequency, electric fields inhibit by an anti-microtubule mechanism of action, cancerous cell growth in vitro. Using implanted electrodes, these fields were also shown to inhibit the growth of dermal tumors in mice. The present study extends these findings to additional cell lines [human breast carcinoma; MDA-MB-231, and human non-small-cell lung carcinoma (H1299)] and to animal tumor models (intradermal B16F1 melanoma and intracranial F-98 glioma) using external insulated electrodes.