Efficacy and selectivity of tumor-treating field therapy for triple-negative breast cancer cells via in-house delivery device

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Triple-negative breast cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death in women, making up 7% of all cancer deaths. Tumor-treating electric fields are low-energy, low-frequency oscillating electric fields that induce an anti-proliferative effect on mitotic cells in glioblastoma multiforme, non-small cell lung cancer, and ovarian cancer. Little is known about effects of tumor-treating fields on triple-negative breast cancer and known research for tumor-treating fields only utilizes low (< 3 V/cm) electric field intensities. Methods We have developed an in-house field delivery device capable of high levels of customization to explore a much wider variety of electric field and treatment parameters. Furthermore, we investigated the selectivity of tumor-treating field treatment between triple-negative breast cancer and human breast epithelial cells. Results Tumor-treating fields show greatest efficacy against triple-negative breast cancer cell lines between 1 and 3 V/cm electric field intensities while having little effect on epithelial cells. Conclusion These results provide a clear therapeutic window for tumor-treating field delivery to triple-negative breast cancer.

Keywords

• Breast cancer
• Electric field intensity
• Oscillating electric fields
• Radiotherapy
• Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
• Tumor-treating fields (TTFields)