Discover Oncology (Mar 2023)

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

  • Austin R. Smothers,
  • Jason R. Henderson,
  • John J. O’Connell,
  • Jonathan M. Stenbeck,
  • Delphine Dean,
  • Tyler G. Harvey,
  • Brian W. Booth

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-023-00647-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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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.

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