A new pulsed electric field therapy for melanoma disrupts the tumor's blood supply and causes complete remission without recurrence

Abstract

We have discovered a new, ultrafast therapy for treating skin cancer that is extremely effective with a total electric field exposure time of only 180 lsec. The application of 300 high-voltage (40 kV/ cm), ultrashort (300 nsec) electrical pulses to murine melanomas in vivo triggers both necrosis and apoptosis, resulting in complete tumor remission within an average of 47 days in the 17 animals treated. None of these melanomas recurred during a 4-month period after the initial melanoma had disappeared. These pulses generate small, long-lasting, rectifying nanopores in the plasma membrane of exposed cells, resulting in increased membrane permeability to small molecules and ions, as well as an increase in intracellular Ca 21 , DNA fragmentation, disruption of the tumor's blood supply and the initiation of apoptosis. Apoptosis was indicated by a 3-fold increase in Bad labeling and a 72% decrease in Bcl-2 labeling. In addition, microvessel density within the treated tumors fell by 93%. This new therapy utilizing nanosecond pulsed electric fields has the advantages of highly localized targeting of tumor cells and a total exposure time of only 180 lsec. These pulses penetrate into the interior of every tumor cell and initiate DNA fragmentation and apoptosis while at the same time reducing blood flow to the tumor. This new physical tumor therapy is drug free, highly localized, uses low energy, has no significant side effects and results in very little scarring. ' 2009 UICC

Induction of cell growth arrest by atmospheric non-thermal plasma in colorectal cancer cells

“…Another mechanism generated by plasma is the induction of apoptosis (Montie et al, 2000;Nuccitelli et al, 2009;Shashurin et al, 2008;Zhang et al, 2008). A typical apoptotic HCT-116 cell is shown in Fig.…”

“…Cell detachment was shown to be a reversible effect that allows removal or mobilization of cells (Kieft et al, 2006;Stoffels et al, 2006). Another mechanism generated by plasma is the induction of apoptosis (Montie et al, 2000;Nuccitelli et al, 2009;Shashurin et al, 2008;Zhang et al, 2008). Cells undergoing plasma-induced apoptosis usually develop characteristic morphological changes, including nuclear condensation and degradation of DNA into oligonucleosomal fragments.…”

Electrical dimensions in cell science

“…Recently, solid mouse melanomas have been exposed to ultrashort, very strong, pulsed EFs (Nuccitelli et al, 2006;Nuccitelli et al, 2009). The application of 400 (40 kV/cm) pulses of 300 ns duration caused nuclei within tumour cells to shrink by 50% within minutes and by around 70% in 3 hours.…”

Nanosecond pulsed electric field thresholds for nanopore formation in neural cells

“…[1][2][3] Theoretical models have also predicted that nsPEF could be used to manipulate neurological signals responsible for motor movement and pain. 4,5 One experimental study performed by Pakhomov et al has validated the potential for nsPEF to interfere with motor signals from the brain.…”