What is tumor treating fields (TTF) therapy?
Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) therapy is a type of electromagnetic field therapy using low-intensity electrical fields to suppress cancer cell proliferation in the body. This treatment dates back a long time. TTF is a treatment to generate electrical fields in the human body, leading to the suppression of local cancer cell proliferation.
Should TTF-1 be used to detect endocrine tumors?
Objectives: Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is routinely tested in the diagnostic evaluation of suspected lung cancers, is commonly expressed by lung adenocarcinomas, and may modulate lung cancer biology. We examined the role of TTF-1 as a predictive and prognostic marker in patients with advanced lung adenocarcinomas. Materials and methods: We analyzed clinical, …
What does TTF stand for?
The TTF are applied at a frequency which specifically targets glioblastoma cells. Normal adult brain cells divide slowly, if at all, so are thought not to be affected by TTF. To get the best response to treatment, Optune ® has to be worn continuously, and for at least 18 hours per day. This is because, unlike a drug, the effects of TTF on ...
What is a targeted tumor treating field?
Jun 04, 2012 · TTF Therapy: A Drug-Free Treatment for Brain Cancer June 4, 2012 Brain World blog , stories Image of a human cell showing microtubules in green, chromosomes (DNA) in blue, and kinetochores in pink Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and most common form of primary brain tumor in the U.S. Close to 10,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed ...
What is TTF in cancer?
The treatment, known as Tumor Treating Fields (TTF), is delivered to the patient via a device that fits over the scalp like a bathing cap. It works by emitting alternating electrical fields to the tumor that disrupt the division of cancer cells and stop tumor growth.
What is a TTF device?
The battery-powered device, also known as Optune® and which can alternatively be attached to a static power supply, creates alternating electrical fields, called Tumour Treating Fields or TTF. These fields are low intensity and disrupt the cell division process in rapidly dividing cells, such as tumour cells.
What are the 4 treatment types for cancer?
The most common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Other options include targeted therapy, immunotherapy, laser, hormonal therapy, and others. Here is an overview of the different treatments for cancer and how they work.Oct 28, 2021
How long does optune treatment last?
Using a model developed to simulate the growth kinetics of a malignant tumor, the minimal treatment duration for Optune has been determined to be approximately 4 weeks to reach tumor stabilization.
Do tumor treatment fields work?
Tumor Treating Fields have shown a consistent anti-mitotic effect in our preclinical and clinical research spanning more than two decades. The science of Tumor Treating Fields extends beyond glioblastoma and mesothelioma.
Is the optune device effective?
Proven to extend survival and maintain In a large clinical study, people who added Optune to chemotherapy* had a greater opportunity to live longer than those who used chemotherapy* alone. Nearly half of people using Optune + chemotherapy* were alive at 2 years compared with 31% of people on chemotherapy* alone.
What is the most successful cancer treatment?
Any cancer treatment can be used as a primary treatment, but the most common primary cancer treatment for the most common types of cancer is surgery. If your cancer is particularly sensitive to radiation therapy or chemotherapy, you may receive one of those therapies as your primary treatment.Jun 4, 2020
Which type of cancer is curable?
TLDR: the most curable forms of cancer include: colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer. Stage 1 cancer is also curable, especially when caught in its early stages. The earlier you detect cancer, the higher your odds are of curing it before it becomes severe.Aug 17, 2020
What type of cancer does not require chemo?
What type of cancer does not require chemo? People with leukemia don't have to resort to chemotherapy as their only treatment options, thanks to a variety of targeted medicines that are available.May 28, 2020
Does glioblastoma ever go into remission?
In remission, symptoms may let up or disappear for a time. Glioblastomas often regrow. If that happens, doctors may be able to treat it with surgery and a different form of radiation and chemotherapy.5 days ago
What is the life expectancy of someone with glioblastoma?
The median survival time with glioblastoma is 15 to 16 months in people who get surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment. Median means half of all patients with this tumor survive to this length of time. Everyone with glioblastoma is different. Some people don't survive as long.
What is the longest survival rate for glioblastoma?
According to their systematic review, 0.71% of all glioblastoma patients have a survival longer than 10 years. Moreover, the authors found a relationship between age at diagnosis and overall survival (OS), for every 4.7 years younger age at diagnosis the OS was one year longer after 10 years of survival.
What is the primary endpoint of a clinical trial?
For example, a primary endpoint in oncological clinical trials is usually survival: a direct, measurable outcome based on the drug’s expected effects. A secondary endpoint, such as quality of life, may be chosen to explore additional benefit the patient may gain including functional and emotional status.
Why are clinical endpoints important?
Clinical endpoints are essential for assessing the safety and efficacy of new cancer therapies. They are used by oncologists to help guide clinical decision making. While overall survival (OS) has frequently been regarded as the “gold standard” primary clinical endpoint, it’s utility is constrained by several disadvantages.
What is milestone survival?
Milestone survival is defined as the survival probability at a given time point [9]. It is classified as an endpoint related to OS, however, it is considered a qualitative endpoint that describes a cross-sectional assessment at a specific time point and does not account for all OS data [49].
Is DFS a surrogate endpoint?
Despite its draw backs, DFS has been used as a strong surrogate endpoint for OS in clinic al trials for stage III colon cancer, in an adjuvant setting in lung cancer, and in breast cancer [21-23]. Event-free survival.
What is TTF therapy?
What is Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) therapy? Tumor Treating Fields (TTF) therapy is a type of electromagnetic field therapy using low-intensity electrical fields to suppress cancer cell proliferation in the body. This treatment dates back a long time. TTF is a treatment to generate electrical fields in the human body, ...
What are the steps of cell division?
At the cellular level 1 1 The electrical fields are even in the undivided cells. 2 Cell division is categorized into mitosis which is the nucleus division through the fast and highly complex process and cytokinesis which is the cytoplasm division into two. 3 As the early stage in mitosis, the spindle starts to be formed by the polymerization of the microtubule. 4 Under the existence of the electrical fields, the polymerization is impeded and that leads to the mitotic arrest because each microtubule is arranged along the electrical fields.
Do electrical fields exist?
Electrical fields do exist around the place where electric current flows. Electrical fields attract the substances that have electrical charge. It behaves in a similar way to gravity. It suppresses cancer cell proliferation.
How is the spindle formed in mitosis?
As the early stage in mitosis, the spindle starts to be formed by the polymerization of the microtubule. Under the existence of the electrical fields, the polymerization is impeded and that leads to the mitotic arrest because each microtubule is arranged along the electrical fields.
Is TTF a good treatment for cancer?
It is not recommended to be used for long term treatment because of drug resistance and accumulation of toxicity. TTF on the other hand is considered a safe treatment which doesn’t have any problems in terms of drug resistance and accumulation of toxicity . Also, it is possible to use TTF with other conventional treatments such as chemotherapy. We believe that there are synergistic effects using TTF with immunotherapy, especially GcMAF macrophage activating factor. We recommend GcMAF be used in combination with TTF for best results and to achieve complete systemic treatment.
What is TTF in a brain tumor?
TTF is a relatively new, non-invasive technique for adults with a type of brain tumour called a glioblastoma. It uses alternating electrical fields to disrupt tumour cell division, or cause cell death, thereby preventing the tumour from growing or spreading so quickly.
What are the side effects of chemo?
When used with chemotherapy, low blood platelet count, nausea, constipation, vomiting, tiredness, seizure, and depression. Other side-effects, that may be due to using the device, include muscle-twitching, skin ulcers and malaise ( general feeling of being unwell).
How long does Optune last?
To get the best response to treatment, Optune ® has to be worn continuously, and for at least 18 hours per day.
How do TAMs affect cancer?
Thus, TAMs in breast cancer can enhance cancer cell invasion by degrading the ECM, stimulate tumor vascularization and angiogenesis and suppress the anti-tumor functions of cytotoxic T cells resulting in poor prognosis for patients.
What are the components of TME?
Among these cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are the prominent components of TME in breast cancers. Macrophages exhibit a high plasticity in response to various external signals and participate in innate and adoptive immune responses to control numerous factors of TME.
What is the most common cancer in women?
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignant tumor in women worldwide and contributes significantly as the primary cause of female cancer related mortality. Hence, research is focused on discovering new and effective treatment targets. The breast tumor microenvironment (TME) comprising of recruited host stromal cells and tumor cells, has recently emerged as an important player in tumor progression, with the potential for future treatment. The TME comprises immune system elements (such as macrophages and lymphocytes), cells composing blood vessel, fibroblast, myofibroblast, mesenchymal stem cells, adipocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM). Among these cells, tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are the prominent components of TME in breast cancers. Macrophages exhibit a high plasticity in response to various external signals and participate in innate and adoptive immune responses to control numerous factors of TME. Depending on the microenvironmental signal present, macrophages are polarized into two distinct phenotypes, the classically activated (M1) or the alternative activated (M2) macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) closely resemble the M2-polarized. Clinicopathological studies have suggested that TAM accumulation in tumors correlates with a poor clinical outcome. In human breast carcinomas, high TAM density correlates with poor prognosis. Over the years, studies into the role of TAMs in breast cancer progression have identified TAMs to be capable of inducing angiogenesis, remodelling the tumor extracellular matrix to aid invasion, modelling breast cancer cells to evade host immune system and recruiting immunosuppressive leukocytes to the tumor microenvironment. Along with these functions, the potential role for TAMs in activation of breast cancer stem cells (CSC) has also emerged. Thus, TAMs in breast cancer can enhance cancer cell invasion by degrading the ECM, stimulate tumor vascularization and angiogenesis and suppress the anti-tumor functions of cytotoxic T cells resulting in poor prognosis for patients. These observations make TAMs an attractive target for therapeutic intervention by targeting various aspects of their function. This review discusses the mechanisms responsible for TAM recruitment and highlights the roles of TAMs in regulating tumor angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis, immunosuppression, and chemotherapeutic resistance. Finally, the potential for TAM-targeted therapy as a promising novel strategy is also discussed.
What is the polarization of macrophages?
Depending on the microenvironmental signal present, macrophages are polarized into two distinct phenotypes, the classically activated (M1) or the alternative activated (M2) macrophages. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) closely resemble the M2-polarized.
Importance and History
Uses and Effectiveness
- Tumor treating fields have been approved for both newly diagnosed (in combination with temozolomide) and recurrent glioblastoma as well as inoperable pleural mesothelioma, and are being studied in non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and for brain metastases due to lung cancer. The best electrical frequency, however, varies with the particular type of cancer.
Side Effects and Contraindications
- As with any cancer treatment, tumor treating fields can have side effects as well as reasons why the therapy should not be used (contraindications).
How It Works
- In order for cancer cells to divide, special proteins in the cell orient to pull the dividing cell into two cells. Tumor treating fields take advantage of the fact that these molecules have very strong electrical polarity (as well as the fact that cancer cells usually divide much more rapidly than normal cells, especially in the brain). When tumor treating cells are applied to a tumor, these larg…
Undergoing Ttf Treatment
- If your healthcare provider believes you are a candidate for TTF, an MRI scanwill be done to determine the best placement sites for the transducers and you will be instructed in the application and proper care of the device. While many people have been able to apply the device themselves, having a family caregiver or friend assist you can be priceless. Many people wonde…