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Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Electric Fields Kill Tumors

Continued from page 1

By Katherine Bourzac

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One exciting result from his studies, says Palti, is that there is "excellent synergy between electric-field treatment and chemotherapy." In an unpublished lab study of several types of cancer, he says, adding electric-field treatment makes several chemotherapeutics more effective at lower doses. NovoCure is now conducting a pilot trial in Europe in which patients begin electric-field treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy when they are first diagnosed with glioblastoma. The results are preliminary, but, Palti says, "I strongly believe that the combination treatment will ... enable one to reduce the chemo doses to levels where their side effects will be significantly reduced."

Palti says that after more than 200 cumulative months of electric-field treatment in several patients, there have been no side effects beyond irritation of the scalp. "So far, toxicity seems to be low," says Engelhard. This stands in stark contrast to chemotherapy and radiation, which cause many side effects, including nausea, hair loss, and fatigue.

One worry is that the electric-field treatment could affect healthy cells that are dividing. The electric fields emerging from the electrodes can't be focused, says Cohen, and although they are primarily concentrated in the brain in the glioblastoma trial, they may also reach other parts of the body where cells are dividing. Cells in the bone marrow, for example, multiply at a great rate to create red blood cells and immune cells. But Palti says that the electric fields have no effect on blood-cell counts. The bone and muscle surrounding the marrow appear to protect the cells..

It's unclear how long patients will need to wear the device. "We're hesitant to stop treatment, because the consequences could be severe," says Palti, although one patient whose cancer has disappeared has stopped wearing the device. Patients must go to the clinic twice a week to have their heads shaved so that their hair doesn't interrupt contact between the scalp and the electrodes. The device itself costs only about $1,000 to manufacture, but replacing the electrodes twice a week is expensive.

Engelhard says that he got involved with the NovoCure clinical trial because the electric-field treatment is "radically different" from all existing cancer treatments. For patients with recurrent glioblastoma and other deadly forms of cancer, there are few options. "Researching and testing new therapies for this type of patient is very important," says Engelhard.

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Comments

  • RE: Electric Fields Kill Tumors
    thirtygrand on 08/08/2007 at 2:07 AM
    Posts:
    3
    Once again this is a great article done by Katherine Bourzac. She has really did her research very thoroughly and to the facts. She get's a 3 1/2 star from my opinion. Good work Katherine.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Re: Electric  Fields Kill Tumors
    TomTom on 08/08/2007 at 10:18 AM
    Posts:
    28
    Avg Rating:
    2/5
    It won't be allowed in the U.S. because of the profits the doctors and drug companies make.

    There are numerous other ways to destroy cancer cells and they have been forbidden.

    Pappas has be using magnetic fields for years but it is considered "alternative".  Here is a link to his site: http://www.papimi.gr/selections.htm
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Electric  Fields Kill Tumors
      stradric on 08/08/2007 at 1:47 PM
      Posts:
      16
      Avg Rating:
      4/5
      I'm extremely skeptical of your analysis.  Wouldn't a treatment like this be beneficial to the bottom line of HMOs?  Plus, I'm not sure that cancer treatments account for a significant portion of doctor and drug company profits.  I would think that drug companies profit more from their flagship drugs like Viagra, Cialis or Lipitor, not chemo-therapy drugs.

      And a majority of doctors become doctors to help people, not to perpetuate disease so they can make money.

      That may be the case with for-profit hospital chains, but even then I don't think you have a strong case.  I could be wrong.  I don't have any statistics.
      Rate this comment: 12345
      • Re: Electric  Fields Kill Tumors
        TomTom on 08/08/2007 at 6:07 PM
        Posts:
        28
        Avg Rating:
        2/5
        If doctors are so benevolent, why do they prescribe beta blockers and ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure?  Magnesium and potassium work just as well for lowering blood pressure.
        Rate this comment: 12345
        • TomTom
          Tagamet on 08/08/2007 at 9:17 PM
          Posts:
          7
          "Magnesium and potassium work just as well for lowering blood pressure."
          Not for everyone (I'm a great example). It would appear that your negative attitude would go far toward raising *your* blood pressure while weakening your immune system. (and yes, I'm a shrink)
          Be well and God Bless.
          Rate this comment: 12345
  • Is it resonance?
    el_cacique on 08/09/2007 at 1:22 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Reminds me of reading about Royal Raymond Rife. In the 30s he invented a microscope that was able to see thousands of times more magnification that contemporary devices. It helped him learn the resonant frequencies of many different organisms, including some he identified as the causes of cancer. This knowledge led him to develop an amazing little machine that in a clinical trial with 16 stage 3 terminal cancer patients he cured 14 of them by treating them for 5 minutes every 3 days for 60 days. After some frequency adjustments he cured the remaining two. At first he was lauded, invited to speaking engagements and demonstrations; until the medical establishment and pharmaceutical industries realized what it would do to their bottom line. He was persecuted, arrested and demoralized by the selfishness of the people who are supposed to care.
    Considering Nikola Tesla's research and his findings of energy transfer in systems resonating at the same frequency, perhaps it's an investigation that should be revived. Any takers in those brilliant engineers at MIT?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • electrotherapy?
    anisotropy on 10/25/2007 at 5:44 PM
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    2
    Why isn't electric current used to treat tumors? It would involve the insertion of two electrodes on either side of the tumor, a minimally invasive procedure, and could be used to kill a small local region of cells. If the current for some reason prefers to go around the tumor, what about inserting a probe into the center and putting a high frequency AC voltage on it to kill the cells around it? There must be a reason this isn't been done. Does anyone know anything about this?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • MAGNETIC FIELDS GROW THEM
    dboots on 11/14/2007 at 1:58 AM
    Posts:
    4
    They have been screwing with our atmosphere, they
    have developed the technology to make every tree
    a cell tower (n buildings). So if trees can be
    cell towers then the ground must be conductive
    too.  Since we are made of energy, then I assume
    we must be conductive too.

      You put this much of a communications field
    of magnetic energy near our bodies, its going
    to create those tumors.
      How strange is it, that a certain amount of
    EM energy will also make them go away.

      Almost like they are causing them with energy
    and they can erase the tumors with a different
    output of an energy.

      No one makes any money when everyone's healthy.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • MRI's scan shown don't look like the same brain
    dboots on 11/14/2007 at 2:05 AM
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    4
    In looking at the 2 brain MRI scans, the bottom
    one does not seem to be of the same brain
    compared to the top MRI scan.

      Anyone else notice this difference?

      Yes I know the tumor gone, but look at the
    design of the lobes.  They don't seem to make
    the same formation lines.
    Rate this comment: 12345
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