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The Clinical Application of Tumor Treating Fields Therapy in Glioblastoma
Published on: April 16, 2019
Tumor Treating Fields modulate apoptotic and immune programs in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines
Jinju Heo1, Myonggeun Yoon1,2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
|June 17, 2026
Summary
Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) show promise for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). This study found TTFields suppress T-ALL cell growth, induce cell cycle arrest, and trigger apoptosis, supporting their potential as a novel therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biophysics
- Hematology
Background:
- T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive cancer with limited treatment options for relapsed or refractory cases.
- Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are a non-invasive physical therapy that disrupts cell division, but their efficacy in hematologic malignancies is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cellular and molecular effects of TTFields on T-ALL cell lines.
- To evaluate the potential of TTFields as a therapeutic approach for T-ALL.
Main Methods:
- Human T-ALL cell lines (Jurkat and MOLT-4) were exposed to TTFields (150 kHz, 0.7 V/cm) for up to 96 hours.
- Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, cellular granularity, mitochondrial activity, intracellular ATP levels, and gene expression were analyzed.
Main Results:
- TTFields significantly suppressed T-ALL cell proliferation and induced G2/M-phase arrest.
- Treatment increased apoptosis and altered cellular complexity and mitochondrial activity.
- Transcriptional analysis revealed changes in key genes, including downregulation of CD69 and IL-2 and upregulation of RELA and CBL.
Conclusions:
- TTFields exert cytostatic and apoptotic effects on T-ALL cells.
- These effects are accompanied by measurable structural, bioenergetic, and transcriptional alterations.
- TTFields warrant further investigation as a potential physical therapy for hematologic malignancies like T-ALL.
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