Tumor Treating Fields Mesothelioma
Tumor treating mesothelioma from fields is a new kind of therapy that uses alternating electric fields to slow the growth of cancer. It is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat pleural cancer.
After the success of the STELLAR study after the STELLAR study, the FDA approved TTFields in conjunction with pemetrexed cisplatin and the year 2019 saw the FDA approved TTFields. Patients may ask their mesothelioma physician to prescribe this treatment.
Disrupting Cell Division
TTFields utilize alternation of electrical fields to destroy cancer cell proteins and stop their cells from dividing. This may stop mesothelioma cancer cells from expanding or spreading to other organs in the body. TTFields also work to stimulate the production of proteins that eliminate cancer cells and aid the immune system fight mesothelioma tumors.
During treatment, the patient wears the device, which is small and has insulated pads that stick to the skin. The device is able to deliver an electrical current of low intensity, and the patient can determine the amount of treatment they receive. A mesothelioma treatment lasts around 30 minutes. Patients can undergo TTFields treatments at various times throughout the day.
A TTFields study published in 2021 found that the intensity of electrical fields of 100-300 Kilohertz could stop cell division in cancer cells and cause them to die. The study included different types of cancerous cells, and found that electrical fields killed all of them, regardless of cell structure.
how is mesothelioma treated recommended the use of TTFields with chemotherapy for mesothelioma. Novocure's TTFields product, NovoTTF-100L was approved by the FDA in the year 2019 to treat unresectable pleural mesothelioma. It is now available to mesothelioma specialists at medical centers across the U.S., including the West Cancer Center in Memphis. The NovoTTF-100L device, which is now called Optune Lua, has been used to treat mesothelioma in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy. Mesothelioma patients have reported a longer survival when the TTFields treatment is combined with chemotherapy.
Another study published in the journal "Lung Cancer" reported that TTFields therapy works well with chemotherapy. In the study researchers found that combining chemotherapy and TTFields reduced the number of mesothelioma cancerous cells in animal models by more than 80 percent. The study also revealed that combining these treatments increased the production of proteins that kill mesothelioma tumor cells and decrease the amount or cancerous DNA that is found in your body.
TTFields is a relatively new treatment, and a lot of mesothelioma physicians do not provide it for patients suffering from pleural mesothelioma. However, patients might have access to this treatment option through clinical trials or at mesothelioma clinics that are accredited by Novocure.
Stalling Tumor Growth
Mesothelioma forms when mesothelial cells mutate and outlive their normal lifespan, leading to an overabundance of diseased cells that grow and spread in the body. The treatment of mesothelioma fields stops tumors from spreading and growing by stopping mesothelial cells from replicating.
The TTFields device is worn on the chest like an armband and generates an array of electrical fields that disrupt proteins, kill cancer cells and slow down the growth of tumors. The device is equipped with pad-like insulated pads that adhere to the skin and can be applied at home by patients or by health care professionals trained by Novocure.
Doctors suggest combining TTFields therapy with chemotherapy for the best results. The combination boosts the production of proteins that kill cancer cells and reduces cancer cells' ability to repair DNA damage caused by chemotherapy drugs. This allows chemotherapy drugs to perform even more effectively and increases survival rates in mesothelioma.
In the STELLAR study conducted in 2017, TTFields therapy, when combined with chemotherapy significantly improved the survival rate for mesothelioma patients. 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 primary treatment for malignant pleural melanoma that is not easily resectable.
Researchers have discovered that the TTFields treatment works against mesothelioma because it interrupts cell division. The TTFields treatment causes cancer cells to split in a mitosis process. The cellular debris is absorbed by surrounding tissues and hinders the growth of the new tissue. Mitosis also prevents mesothelioma cells from repairing damaged DNA and makes the cells more prone to radiation treatments.
The TTFields therapy also helps to reduce the flow of blood to tumors through the suppression of vascular-endothelial-growth factor (VEGF) and the increase of hypoxia-inducible factors-1 beta or HIF-1a. HIF-1a is associated with cancer cells angiogenesis.
If you are diagnosed with mesothelioma, speak to your physician about TTFields and whether it is the right treatment for you. Novocure and a number of mesothelioma specialists are conducting clinical trials to test the effectiveness of TTFields. Contact a Novocure certified specialist at one of the more than 1,300 U.S. Treatment Centers to learn more about mesothelioma treatment with TTFields.
Killing Tumor Cells
Tumor-treating fields for treating tumors (TTFields) which transmit electrical waves throughout the body, disrupt cell division and kill tumor cells. TTFields target cancerous cells while not causing harm to healthy cells. These electric fields reduce DNA repair, and also boost the immune system of cells, making cancerous cells more difficult to fight. TTF is an effective treatment that is non-invasive and has very few side effects besides mild skin irritation.
Scientists think TTFields function by disrupting mitosis, the process where the cell divides into two identical cells. Normal cells have mechanisms to limit mitosis. However, malignant cancerous tumor cells are able to breach these restrictions and multiply at an increased rate. TTFields interferes with this process by blocking signals that control the process of mitosis in mesothelioma cancer cells. In the STELLAR study, TTFields when combined with chemotherapy significantly improved survival rates for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma survivors who received TTFields along with maintenance cycles of chemotherapy lasted six months longer than those who received only chemotherapy.
In a separate study it was discovered that TTFields could boost the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs called platinum-based treatments. These platinum-based therapies kill mesothelioma through targeting mitochondria. This is where cancerous cell energy originates. When TTFields is used in conjunction with these chemotherapies the combination may result in greater levels DNA damage and faster death of cancer cells.
In certain instances, TTFields can also enhance the effects of radiation treatment. Researchers have discovered that combining TTFields with radiation therapy can create an "synergistic effect." This means that the combination of treatments increases the sensitivity of mesothelioma cells to radiation.
At present, TTFields can only be available at certain mesothelioma clinics. A mesothelioma expert can determine if you're qualified for this treatment. If you qualify an attorney for mesothelioma can assist you with accessing treatment that includes TTFields with chemotherapy. A mesothelioma lawyer can help veterans get VA-covered treatment.
Side Effects
The TT fields therapy disrupts the cancer cells by generating an electric field that blocks their ability to divide. This can slow down the growth of tumors and prevent it from spreading to other areas of the body. The TT Fields device is not invasive. It does not cause any pain or damage to surrounding tissue. This is in contrast to traditional chemotherapy, which requires intravenous injections or radiation, both of which could cause serious side effects.
In a study in which patients received a combination of TT fields and temozolomide saw survival improvements similar to those of people treated with chemo alone. Doctors attributed the improved survival to TT fields' ability to increase the efficacy of chemotherapy and lessen the risk of side effects.
Mesothelioma cancer cells can transform into cancerous cells and replicate uncontrollably to form tumors that infiltrate the organs of your body. Mesothelioma treatment such as TT fields stop mesothelioma cells from reproducing and hindering the body's normal functions through stopping cell division.
During a mesothelioma study patients who received TT-fields along with chemotherapy experienced an average survival rate (18.2 months). Patients who received TT fields without chemotherapy had a median of 12.1 months.
The pleura, also known as the thin lung lining can be treated by applying the treatment fields to the abdominal wall or chest wall. The device is small enough to be worn up to 18 hours a day, even in sleep. This allows patients to maintain their life and work while receiving treatment.
TT fields can be added with traditional chemotherapy or immunotherapy, as well as other mesothelioma treatment. Patients with mesothelioma who are interested in TT fields should discuss this option with their mesothelioma doctor who will explain the eligibility requirements and benefits for the patient's particular case.