Electric Fields have potential as a cancer treatment
Low-intensity electric fields can disrupt the
division of cancer cells and slow the growth of brain tumors.
Low-intensity electric fields can disrupt the
division of cancer cells and slow the growth of brain tumors, suggest laboratory
experiments and a small human trial, raising hopes that electric fields will
become a new weapon for stalling the progression of
cancer.
Alternating electric fields affect tumor cells by slowing their division time from under one hour to more than three hours. The fields also disintegrate cells in the later stages of cell division.
In the studies, the research team uses alternating electric fields that jiggle electrically charged particles in cells back and forth hundreds of thousands of times per second. The electric fields have an intensity of only one or two volts per centimeter. Such low-intensity alternating electric fields were once believed to do nothing significant other than heat cells. However, in several years’ worth of experiments, the researchers have shown that the fields disrupt cell division in tumor cells.
Further trials will combine electric-field therapy with low dose chemotherapy.
Alternating electric fields affect tumor cells by slowing their division time from under one hour to more than three hours. The fields also disintegrate cells in the later stages of cell division.
In the studies, the research team uses alternating electric fields that jiggle electrically charged particles in cells back and forth hundreds of thousands of times per second. The electric fields have an intensity of only one or two volts per centimeter. Such low-intensity alternating electric fields were once believed to do nothing significant other than heat cells. However, in several years’ worth of experiments, the researchers have shown that the fields disrupt cell division in tumor cells.
Further trials will combine electric-field therapy with low dose chemotherapy.
Posted: Tue - August 7, 2007 at 09:45 AM