@IT: がん細胞を死滅させる「腫瘍治療電場(TTF)」の可能性 〜 この手の話? でもまじめな話らしい

@IT: がん細胞を死滅させる「腫瘍治療電場(TTF)」の可能性.

見た目がかなりアレゲというか危なげな感じがしたのですが、調べてみると結構マジな話のようで、たとえば英語版のWikipediaでは

Tumor Treating Fields is novel cancer treatment therapy using alternating electric field to disturb the rapid cell division exhibited by cancer cells. The system was developed by Novocure company and was approved by the US FDA [1]on April 15, 2011 for the treatment of recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme, a type of malignant brain tumor. It is undergoing clinical trials for its effectiveness in the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)[2] and lung cancer[citation needed].

といった記述があります。また、FDAの件ではこんな記事

The portable device, which weighs about six pounds (three kg), is used continuously throughout the day by the patient. Tests indicate that the devices can slow and reverse tumor growth by inhibiting mitosis, the process by which cancerous cells divide and replicate. The NovoTTF treatment involves placing pads onto the patient’s skin that creates a low intensity and alternating electric field within the tumor. The electric field prevents the normal mitotic process and causes cancer cell death prior to division without harming healthy cells. Whilst chemotherapy treatments can often be debilitating, the most commonly reported side effect from the NovoTTF treatment is a mild-to-moderate rash beneath the electrodes.

もありました。どうも、副作用が無く繰り返し応用できるというところもポイントのようです。また、治験(long-term follow-up results from the Phase III EF-11 investigation)に関する記事Recurrent Glioblastoma – Tumor Treating Fields Versus Best Standard Chemotherapy, A Comparisonでは

Participants were followed-up for a median of 39 months. When comparing participants who received best standard of care chemotherapy to those that received TTF, overall survival at two and three years of follow up was 7% vs. 9% and 1% vs. 8%, respectively ( p=ns).

ということのようで、またこんな記事 Tumor treating fields: concept, evidence and future. とかこんな記事 University of Illinois Hospital prescribes Tumor Treating Fields therapy for recurrent GBM もありました。Aetna(保険会社)のサイトには

Policy: Aetna considers devices to generate electric tumor treatment fields (ETTF) are considered experimental and investigational for the treatment of malignant tumors (e.g., brain, breast, lung, and melanoma, not an all inclusive list) and all other indications because their effectiveness has not been established.

というのもありました。

何だかえたいの知れない「電気治療器」のような印象(響き?)があるのですが、どうもまともな話らしい。但し言っているのは、もっぱらその治療器を作っているNovocureという会社らしいのですが。

 

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Posted by yamanouc