Tumor Treating Fields Mesothelioma: A Simple Definition

Tumor Treating Fields Mesothelioma

Tumor treatment fields mesothelioma a new form of therapy, uses alternating electric field to stop the growth of cancer. It is used in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat pleural mesothelioma.

The FDA approved TTFields in conjunction with pemetrexed and cisplatin in 2019 after the successful STELLAR trial. Patients are able to ask their mesothelioma doctor to prescribe this treatment.

Disrupting Cell Division

TTFields utilizes alternating electrical fields that disrupt cancer cell protein and prevent the cells from dividing. This can prevent mesothelioma cells from advancing or spreading to other organs in the body. The TTFields help to trigger the release of proteins that kill cancerous cells and assist the immune system in fighting mesothelioma tumours.

During treatment the patient wears an insulated device that is small in size. pads that adhere to the skin. The device is able to deliver a low-intensity electrical current and patients are able to determine the amount of treatment they receive. The duration of a mesothelioma treatment session is typically 30 minutes. Patients can receive TTFields treatment at various times throughout the day.

A TTFields study from 2021 found that electrical fields of 100-300 Kilohertz could stop the growth of cancer cells and trigger their death. The study examined different kinds of cancer cells and discovered that electrical fields killed all of them, regardless of cell's structure.

The study's author recommended combining TTFields and chemotherapy for mesothelioma. FDA approved Novocure's TTFields NovoTTF 100L in 2019 to treat unresectable mesothelioma pleural. It is now available through mesothelioma specialists at accredited medical centers across 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. Mesothelioma patients have reported a longer time to live when the TTFields therapy is paired with chemotherapy.

Another study published in the journal "Lung Cancer" reported that TTFields therapy works well in conjunction with chemotherapy. In the trial, researchers discovered that combining chemotherapy and TTFields decreased the number of mesothelioma cancerous cells in animals by more than 80%. The study also demonstrated that combining these two treatments increased the production of proteins that kill mesothelioma cancer cells and decrease the amount of cancerous DNA in the body.

Despite being an emerging treatment, a lot of mesothelioma specialists do not yet offer TTFields for pleural mesothelioma. However, patients may have access to this treatment option through clinical trials or mesothelioma centres that have been certified by Novocure.

Stalling Tumor Development

When mesothelial cancer cells multiply and outlive their normal lifespan they develop mutated cells and can result in an overabundance which grows and spreads throughout the body. Tumor treating fields stop mesothelioma tumors from growing and spreading by blocking mesothelial cells from duplicated.

The TTFields device is worn on the chest as the vest, and creates an array of electrical fields that destroy proteins which kill cancerous cells, and slow down the growth of tumors. The device is equipped with an insulated pad that sticks to the skin and can be used at the home of patients or health care professionals trained by Novocure.

Doctors suggest combining TTFields therapy with chemotherapy to achieve the best results. The combination boosts the production of proteins that kill cancer cells and reduces cancer cells' capacity to repair DNA damage caused by chemotherapy drugs. This makes chemotherapy drugs work even harder, and increases the survival rate of mesothelioma patients.

In the STELLAR study conducted in 2017, TTFields therapy combined with chemotherapy significantly improved the survival rate for mesothelioma patients. The FDA approved the NovoTTF-100L System and is now marketed as Optune Lua, for use alongside pemetrexed and carboplatin and cisplatin as a first-line treatment for unresectable malignant mesothelioma of the pleural in 2019.

Researchers have discovered that the TTFields therapy works against mesothelioma because it interrupts cell division. The treatment TTFields induces cancer cells to break apart through a process known as mitosis, and then the cellular debris gets trapped in surrounding tissues, preventing the growth of new tissue. Mitosis stops mesothelioma tumor cells from repair of damaged genetic material and makes them more susceptible to radiation treatment.

The TTFields therapy also helps to reduce the flow of blood to tumors through the suppression of vascular endothelial-growth factor (VEGF) and the growth of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha or HIF-1a. HIF-1a is associated with cancer cells' angiogenesis.

Speak to your doctor when you've been diagnosed with mesothelioma. Many mesothelioma specialists are working with Novocure on clinical trials to determine the efficacy of this new treatment. 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 for treating tumors (TTFields), which send electrical waves throughout the body, disrupt cell division and eliminate tumor cells. TTFields are low intensity and intermediate frequency alternating electric fields that are targeted at cancerous cells, without harming healthy cells. The electric fields also decrease DNA repair and increase cellular defenses to make it harder for cancerous cells to survive. TTF is non-invasive, and has only mild side effects.

Scientists believe TTFields work by interrupting mitosis, a process by which cells divide into two identical cells. Normal cells have controls that limit the process of mitosis, but malignant cancerous cells break this control and multiply in a rapid rate. TTFields interfere with this process by blocking signals that regulate the mitosis of mesothelioma cells. In the STELLAR trial, TTFields when combined with chemotherapy significantly improved survival rates for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients who received TTFields in addition to maintenance cycles of chemotherapy lived on average six months longer than patients who received chemotherapy alone.

A separate study has found that TTFields can boost the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy drugs, known as platinum-based therapies.  latest treatment for mesothelioma -based treatments eliminate mesothelioma tumors by targeting the mitochondria, which is the place where cancerous cells obtain their energy. When TTFields is combined with these chemotherapies the combination may result in greater levels of DNA damage and quicker cancer cell death.

In certain instances, TTFields also increase the effects of radiation therapy. Researchers have discovered that combining TTFields with radiation therapy can result in a "synergistic effect." This means that the combination treatments increase the sensitivity of mesothelioma cancer cells to radiation.

Currently, TTFields are only available at some mesothelioma centers. However, a mesothelioma specialist will determine if you could be qualified for this treatment. If you do qualify mesothelioma lawyers can assist you in gaining access to treatments that could include TTFields alongside chemotherapy. A mesothelioma attorney can help veterans get VA-covered treatment.

Side Effects

The TT fields therapy disrupts cancer cells by generating an electrical field that blocks the cell's ability to divide. This can slow down the growth of a tumor and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body. The TT fields device is noninvasive, meaning 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 can cause serious side effects.

In the study in which patients received a combination of TT fields and temozolomide showed survival improvements comparable to those seen in patients treated with chemo alone. Doctors attributed the improved survival to TT fields capacity to boost the efficacy of chemo and lessen the risk of adverse effects.

Mesothelioma cancer cells may mutate and multiply in uncontrolled ways, causing the tumor to spread into your organs. By disrupting the division of cells, mesothelioma therapies such as TT fields stop mesothelioma cells from reproducing and hindering your body's normal functions.

During a mesothelioma trial patients with mesothelioma who received TT fields along with chemotherapy had an average survival of 18.2 months. Patients who received TT fields without chemo had a median survival of 12.1 months.

Tumor-treating fields are applied to the pleura or the thin lining of your lungs, on your chest or abdominal wall. The device is small enough to be worn for up to 18 hours a day, even in sleep. Patients can live their lives and continue working while undergoing treatment.

TT fields can be added with traditional chemotherapy or immunotherapy, as well as other mesothelioma treatment. Mesothelioma patients who are interested in TT fields should discuss this possibility with their mesothelioma physician, who can explain eligibility requirements and predicted benefits for the patient's individual case.