Plasma-Treated Solutions (PTS) in Cancer Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Oncology
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Cold physical plasma generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS).
• ROS/RNS exhibit therapeutic effects on cells and tissues.
• Plasma-treated solutions (PTSs) leverage these ROS/RNS for potential medical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the challenges and opportunities of using PTSs for cancer treatment.
• To explore the mechanisms of action and application routes for PTSs in oncology.
• To assess the current status and future potential of PTSs in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cold physical plasma and PTSs in cancer research.
• Analysis of studies investigating the anti-cancer effects of ROS/RNS-containing solutions.
• Examination of proposed clinical application methods for PTSs.

Main Results:

• PTSs demonstrate tumor-toxic activity against several cancer types, indicating a broad mechanism of action.
• PTSs possess immuno-stimulatory properties, potentially enhancing anti-cancer immune responses.
• Two primary clinical application routes are identified: direct tumor injection and lavage for peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Conclusions:

• PTSs represent a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment due to their ROS/RNS-mediated cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects.
• Further research and development are needed to overcome obstacles such as standardized, large-scale sterile PTS generation.
• PTSs hold potential for adjuvant therapy alongside standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy.