Cancer Cells
Cancer cells divide and multiply rapidly in the brain. These cancer cells carry special types of electrically charged elements that play a role during the cell division process. Other healthy cells in the brain multiply at a much slower rate, if at all, and thus rarely include the same electric properties as the dividing cancer cells.
Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)
The NovoTTF-100A device used in this trial delivers very low intensity, alternating electric fields to the tumor site through the scalp. These fields are known as Tumor Treating Fields or TTFields. Due to the unique shape of cancer cells when they are multiplying, TTFields cause the building blocks of these cells to pile up in such a way that the cells physically break apart. In addition, cancer cells also contain miniature building blocks that move essential parts of the cells from place to place during division. TTFields cause these building blocks to fall apart since they have a special type of electric charge. As a result of these two effects, preliminary study data indicate that cancer tumor growth is slowed and may even reverse after continuous exposure to TTFields. Preliminary data also indicate that the TTFields affect the healthy brain cells much less than cancer cells since healthy brain cells multiply at a much slower rate, if at all.
TTFields Applied to Cancer Cells
Additional Information
For additional scientific information please see
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/64/9/3288
Inventor and Company
The NovoTTF-100A device was invented by Professor Yoram Palti, MD, Ph.D. Professor Palti is a Professor Emeritus at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, the leading Israeli biomedical research institution.