Tumor Treating Fields Mesothelioma
Tumor treating mesothelioma from fields is a new type of therapy that uses alternating electric fields to slow the growth of cancer. It is utilized in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat pleural cancer.
The FDA approved TTFields together with pemetrexed as well as Cisplatin in the year 2019 following the success of the STELLAR trial. Patients may ask their doctor for this treatment.
Disrupting Cell Division
TTFields use alternating electrical fields to disrupt cancer cell proteins and stop the cells from dividing. This may stop mesothelioma cancer cells from advancing or spreading to other organs in the body. TTFields work to stimulate the release of proteins that kill cancerous cells and assist the immune system in fighting mesothelioma tumours.
During treatment the patient wears the device, which is small and has insulated pads that are bonded to the skin. The device is able to deliver a low-intensity electrical current, and patients can decide the amount of treatment they receive. The mesothelioma treatment typically lasts 30 minutes. Patients can receive TTFields treatment multiple times a day.
A TTFields 2021 study showed that electrical fields of 100-300 kilohertz were able to stop the growth of cancer cells and cause them to die. The study included a variety of types of cancer cells and found that electrical fields killed all of them regardless of their cellular structure.
The study's author suggested the use of TTFields and chemotherapy for mesothelioma. FDA approved Novocure's TTFields NovoTTF 100L in the year 2019 for the treatment of unresectable mesothelioma of the pleural. It is now available through mesothelioma specialists at medical centers across the U.S., including the West Cancer Center in Memphis. The NovoTTF 100L device, also referred to as Optune Lua has been used to treat mesothelioma when it is combined with platinum-based chemotherapy and pemetrexed. Mesothelioma victims have reported an extended survival when the TTFields treatment has been combined with chemotherapy.
Another study published in the journal "Lung Cancer" reported that TTFields therapy works well in conjunction with chemotherapy. In the trial researchers found that combining chemotherapy and TTFields decreased the number of malignant mesothelioma cells in animals by more than 80 percent. The study also revealed that combination treatments can increase the production proteins that kill mesothelioma cancerous cells and decrease the amount or cancerous DNA found in your body.
Although it is a new treatment, a lot of mesothelioma specialists don't offer TTFields to treat pleural mesothelioma. However, patients may still have access to this treatment option through clinical trials or at mesothelioma centres that have been certified by Novocure.
Stalling Tumor Growth
Mesothelioma develops when mesothelial cells change and outlive their normal lifespan, leading to an abundance of diseased cells that multiply and spread in the body. Treatment fields for mesothelioma stop tumors from advancing and spreading by stopping mesothelial cells from replicating.
The TTFields device, worn on the chest as a vest produces a series electrical fields that disrupt protein and cancer cells and slow down tumor development. The device is fitted with insulated pads that adhere to the skin. Patients or health care professionals can apply the pads at home.
Doctors suggest the combination of TTFields treatment with chemotherapy for the best results. The combination boosts production of proteins that kill cancerous cells, and reduces cancer cells' ability to repair DNA damage from chemotherapy drugs. This allows the chemotherapies work even harder and improves survival rates for mesothelioma.
In the most recent STELLAR trial, the combination of TTFields therapy and chemotherapy significantly increased the survival rate in mesothelioma victims. In the year 2019, the FDA approved the NovoTTF 100L System, now available under Optune Lua for use with pemetrexed, Cisplatin, or carboplatin, as a first-line treatment for malignant pleural melanoma that is not surgically resectable.
Researchers have discovered that the TTFields therapy works against mesothelioma because it interrupts cell division. The TTFields treatment causes cancer cells to split apart during a process known as mitosis. The cellular debris then gets trapped in the surrounding tissues and hinders the growth of new tissue. Mitosis also prevents mesothelioma cells from healing damaged DNA and makes cells more sensitive to radiation treatment.
The TTFields treatment can also help reduce blood flow to the tumor by inhibiting vascular endothelial cellular growth factor, also known as VEGF, as well as increasing hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha, or HIF-1a. This is associated with cancer cell angiogenesis.
Speak to your doctor when you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Novocure and mesothelioma experts are working together on clinical trials that will test the effectiveness of TTFields. Contact an Novocure certified specialist at one of the more than 1,300 U.S. Treatment Centers to find out more about the mesothelioma treatment options using TTFields.
Killing Tumor Cells
Tumor-treating fields (TTFields), which send electrical waves throughout the body. They disrupt cell division and kill cancer cells. TTFields target cancerous cells, while avoiding harming healthy cells. These electric fields reduce DNA repair and increase cellular defences to make cancerous cells more prone to dying. TTF is an effective treatment that is non-invasive and has only a few adverse effects, besides minor skin irritation.
Scientists think TTFields work by interrupting mitosis, which is the process through which cells divide into two identical new cells. Normal cells have rules in place to limit the rate of mitosis however cancerous malignancies breach this control and multiply in a rapid rate. TTFields interfere with this process by blocking signals that control the mitosis of mesothelioma tumor cells. In the STELLAR research, TTFields combined with chemotherapy significantly improved survival rates in mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma patients who received TTFields along with maintenance cycles of chemotherapy survived an average of six months longer than those who received only chemotherapy.
A separate study has found that TTFields could boost the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs, known as platinum-based therapies. These platinum-based treatments eliminate mesothelioma cells by attacking mitochondria, the source that cancerous cells derive their energy from. When TTFields is combined with chemotherapies, the combination could result in higher levels of DNA damage and quicker cancer cell death.
TTFields may also boost the effects of radiation therapy in some cases. Researchers have discovered that combining TTFields with radiation therapy could create a "synergistic effect." This means that the combination of treatments increases the sensitivity of mesothelioma cells to radiation.
Currently, TTFields is only available in certain mesothelioma clinics. However, a mesothelioma specialist can determine whether you may be eligible for this treatment. If you are eligible an attorney for mesothelioma can assist you with accessing treatment that incorporates TTFields along with chemotherapy. If you're an veteran mesothelioma lawyer could help you get treatment that is covered by your VA health benefits.
Side Effects
The TT fields therapy destroys cancer cells by generating an electrical field that blocks their ability to divide. This could slow the growth of tumors and prevent the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. The TT fields device is non-invasive, which means it does not damage the tissues around it or cause discomfort. This is different from traditional chemotherapy, which involves intravenous injections or radiation both of which could cause serious side effects.
In an investigation, patients who received a combination of TT fields and temozolomide experienced survival improvements comparable to those who were treated with chemo alone. Doctors attributing the improved survival to TT fields capacity to boost the efficacy of chemotherapy and lessen the risk of adverse effects.
Mesothelioma cancer cells can change and multiply uncontrollably, leading to cancerous cells to invade your organs. By halting cell division, mesothelioma treatment like TT fields stop mesothelioma tumor cells from reproducing and limiting your body's normal functions.
In a mesothelioma research study patients who received TT-fields together with chemotherapy had an average survival rate (18.2 months). mesothelioma new treatment who received TT fields without chemo had a median survival of 12.1 months.
Tumor treating fields can be applied to the pleura, or the thin lining of your lungs, whether on your chest or abdominal wall. The device is small and can be worn on your body for up to 18 hours, including during sleep time. Patients are able to continue their daily life and work while receiving treatment.
TT fields can be combined with traditional chemotherapy or immunotherapy, as well as other mesothelioma treatment. Mesothelioma patient who are interested in TT should discuss the option with their doctor. They can discuss the eligibility requirements and the benefits that are expected for each patient's particular case.