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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Determining the Optimal Inhibitory Frequency for Cancerous Cells Using Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)
Published on: May 4, 2017
Chemotherapeutic treatment efficacy and sensitivity are increased by adjuvant alternating electric fields (TTFields)
Eilon D Kirson1, Rosa S Schneiderman, Vladimír Dbalý
1NovoCure Ltd,, MATAM Advanced Technology Centre, Haifa 31905, Israel. eilon@novo-cure.com
Background:
The present study explores the efficacy and toxicity of combining a new, non-toxic, cancer treatment modality, termed Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), with chemotherapeutic treatment in-vitro, in-vivo and in a pilot clinical trial.
Methods:
Cell proliferation in culture was studied in human breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231) and human glioma (U-118) cell lines, exposed to TTFields, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and dacarbazine (DTIC) separately and in combinations. In addition, we studied the effects of combining chemotherapy with TTFields in an animal tumor model and in a pilot clinical trial in recurrent and newly diagnosed GBM patients.
Results:
The efficacy of TTFields-chemotherapy combination in-vitro was found to be additive with a tendency towards synergism for all drugs and cell lines tested (combination index
Conclusion:
These results indicate that combining chemotherapeutic cancer treatment with TTFields may increase chemotherapeutic efficacy and sensitivity without increasing treatment related toxicity.
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