NovoTTF-100A is an experimental portable, battery operated device by an Israeli company NovoCure. It is currently in Phase III of US clinical trial for chronic treatment of patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The device is thought to function by producing alternating electric fields (i.e. TTFields) that are thought to disrupt cancer replication. GBM is one of the most aggressive cancers with (probably) no known survivors.
Here’s the technology info from the company:
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.
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 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.More at NovoCure…
Novocure Tumor Treating Fields device – Google Video, features a great presentation by Mike Ambrogi from NovoCure…
Paper: Disruption of Cancer Cell Replication by Alternating Electric Fields… [Cancer Research 64, 3288-3295, May 1, 2004]
Trial page: Effect of NovoTTF-100A in Recurrent GBM…
(hat tip: WFTV Orlando)