Engineered Electrotherapy Platforms: Integrating Electroactive Materials for Precision Cancer Therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Physiological electric fields inspire electro-mediated cancer therapies.
• Combining biomaterials and nanotechnology enhances electrotherapy for targeted cancer treatment.
• Bioengineered electrotherapy offers deep tissue penetration and spatiotemporal precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in bioengineered electrotherapy for cancer treatment.
• To summarize key technologies and therapeutic mechanisms.
• To highlight the role of biomedical engineering in advancing electrotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of electroporation, triboelectric nanogenerators, electrochemical systems, and eddy currents.
• Analysis of nanomaterial engineering strategies (heterojunctions, defect engineering, surface modification).
• Discussion of intelligent biohybrid platforms for energy delivery and immune modulation.

Main Results:

• Electrotherapy disrupts cancer cell proliferation via membrane modulation, ion channel interference, and metabolic perturbation.
• Biomaterial-enhanced electroporation enables precise drug/cytokine delivery.
• Electrical stimulation modulates the tumor microenvironment by generating heat, therapeutic gases (H2, H2S, NO), and reactive oxygen species.

Conclusions:

• Biomedical engineering is crucial for advancing electrotherapeutic technologies.
• Nanomaterial engineering optimizes charge transfer for enhanced electrical effects.
• Integration of bioactive materials, biotechnological tools, and precision electrical paradigms addresses oncology challenges.