Tumor Treating Fields Mesothelioma
Tumor treating fields mesothelioma is a new type of therapy that uses alternating electric fields to limit cancer growth. It is paired with chemotherapy to treat mesothelioma of the pleural region.
After the success of the STELLAR study after the STELLAR study, the FDA approved TTFields in conjunction with pemetrexed cisplatin. In in the year 2019. FDA approved TTFields. Patients are able to ask their mesothelioma doctor to prescribe this treatment.
Disrupting Cell Division
TTFields employ different electrical fields to disrupt cancer cell proteins and prevent the cells from dividing. This can stop mesothelioma from expanding or forming in other organs. The TTFields help to trigger the release of proteins that kill cancerous cells and help the immune system in fighting mesothelioma tumours.
During treatment patients wear a tiny device that contains pads that are insulated and adhere to the skin. The device is able to deliver a low-intensity electrical current, and patients are able to control the amount of treatment they receive. A mesothelioma session lasts about 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 cancer cell division and cause them to die. The study included different types of cancer cells and found that electrical fields killed all of them, regardless of the cell's structure.
The study's authors recommended mixing TTFields with chemotherapy for mesothelioma. Novocure's TTFields product, NovoTTF-100L, was approved by the FDA in 2019 to treat unresectable pleural mesothelioma. It is now available through mesothelioma specialists at certified medical centers in the U.S. including the West Cancer Center, 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. Patients with mesothelioma have reported a longer survival time when the TTFields therapy is paired with chemotherapy.
Another study published in the journal "Lung Cancer" reported that TTFields therapy is effective in conjunction with chemotherapy. In the trial researchers discovered that the combination of chemotherapy and TTFields reduced the number of mesothelioma malignancies in animals by more than 80%. The study also demonstrated that combination treatments can increase the production of proteins that kill mesothelioma tumor cells and decrease the amount of cancerous DNA that is found in your body.
TTFields is a relatively new treatment, and a lot of mesothelioma physicians do not offer it for pleural malignant mesothelioma. Patients still be able to access this treatment through clinical trials or at Novocure-certified mesothelioma clinics.
Stalling Tumor Growth
Mesothelioma develops when mesothelial cells mutate and outlive their normal lifespan, resulting in an abundance of diseased cells that expand and multiply in the body. The treatment of mesothelioma fields stops tumors from advancing and spreading by blocking mesothelial cells from duplicated.
The TTFields device, worn on the chest as a vest produces a series electrical fields that alter protein and kill cancer cells and slow the growth of tumors. The device comes with insulated pads which adhere to the skin. Patients or health care professionals can apply the pads at home.
Doctors suggest using TTFields with chemotherapy for the greatest results. The combination increases the production of proteins that destroy cancer cells and reduces the capacity of cancer cells to repair DNA damage caused by chemotherapy drugs. This makes chemotherapy drugs perform more effectively and improves survival in mesothelioma patients.
In the recently concluded STELLAR trial, a combination of TTFields therapy and chemotherapy significantly improved survival in mesothelioma victims. In 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 of malignant pleural melanoma that is not surgically resectable.
Researchers have found that the TTFields treatment can fight mesothelioma through preventing cell division. The TTFields treatment causes cancer cells to break up 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 repairing damaged DNA, and makes cells more susceptible to radiation therapy.
The TTFields therapy also decreases tumor blood flow through the suppression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the rise of hypoxia-inducible factors-1 beta or HIF-1a. HIF-1a is associated with cancer cells' angiogenesis.
If you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma, speak to your physician about whether TTFields is right for you. Many mesothelioma specialists are collaborating with Novocure on clinical trials to test the efficacy of this new treatment. To find out more about how mesothelioma TTFields may help your treatment plan, contact a Novocure-certified specialist at one of more than 1,300 U.S. treatment centers.
Killing Tumor Cells
Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) which transmit electrical waves throughout the body. They disrupt cell division and kill cancerous cells. TTFields target cancerous cells while protecting healthy cells. They also hinder DNA repair and enhance cell defenses, making it more difficult for cancerous cells to survive. TTF is a non-invasive treatment and has only a few adverse effects, besides minor skin irritation.
Scientists believe TTFields are responsible for preventing mitosis, which is the process through which cells divide into two identical cells. Normal cells have mechanisms to limit the rate of mitosis. However cancerous tumors that are malignant are able to break these controls and multiply at a rapid rate. TTFields interferes with this process by blocking the signals that regulate the rate of growth in mesothelioma tumor cells. In the STELLAR study, TTFields when combined with chemotherapy significantly increased survival rates for mesothelioma patients. Mesothelioma patients who received TTFields in addition to maintenance cycles of chemo were able to live on average six months longer than patients receiving only chemotherapy.
In a separate study, it was discovered that TTFields can boost the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs known as platinum-based treatments. These platinum-based treatments kill mesothelioma cells by targeting mitochondria, which is the place where cancerous cells obtain their energy from. When TTFields are used in combination with these chemotherapy treatments, it could result in greater DNA damage, and faster cancer cell death.
In some instances, TTFields can also enhance the effects of radiation therapy. Researchers have discovered that combining TTFields with radiation therapy may create a "synergistic effect." This means that the combined treatments increase the sensitivity of mesothelioma cancer cells to radiation.
At present, TTFields can only be available at certain mesothelioma centres. However, a mesothelioma specialist will determine if you could be eligible for this treatment. If you are eligible mesothelioma lawyers can assist you in gaining access to treatment that can include TTFields in conjunction with chemotherapy. If you're an active military veteran mesothelioma lawyer will help you access treatment that is covered under your VA health benefits.
Side Effects
The TT fields therapy destroys cancer cells by generating an electrical field that hinders the cell's ability to divide. This could slow the growth of tumors and stop the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. The TT Fields device isn't invasive. It doesn't cause pain or damage to the surrounding tissue. This is a completely different method than traditional chemotherapy which involves intravenous injections and radiation that can trigger serious side effects.
In a study, patients treated with a combination TT fields and temozolomide experienced survival improvements similar to those who were treated only with chemotherapy. Doctors attributing the improved survival to the TT fields their ability to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and decrease the adverse effects.
mesothelioma treatments can mutate and multiply in uncontrolled ways, causing a tumor to invade your organs. By disrupting the division of cells, mesothelioma therapies like TT fields prevent mesothelioma cancer cells from replicating and inhibiting your body's normal functions.
In a mesothelioma-related study, patients who received TT-fields together with chemotherapy had an average survival rate (18.2 months). Patients who received TT fields without chemotherapy had a median of 12.1 months.
Tumor treating fields can be applied to the pleura, or the thin lining that surrounds your lungs, either on your chest or abdominal wall. The device is small and can be worn for 18 hours a day, including during sleep time. Patients are able to continue their daily lives and work while undergoing treatment.
TT fields can be added with conventional chemotherapy or immunotherapy as well as other mesothelioma treatment. Patients with mesothelioma who are who are interested in TT should discuss the option with their doctor. They can provide eligibility requirements and benefits predicted for each patient's particular case.