Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in oncology
Cancer is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Available treatments are associated with numerous side effects and only a low percentage of patients achieve complete remission. Therefore, there is a strong need for new therapeutic strategies. In this regard, Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy presents several potential advantages including non-invasiveness, safety, lack of toxicity for non-cancerous cells, and the possibility of being combined with other available therapies. Indeed, PEMF stimulation has already been used in the context of various cancer types including skin, breast, prostate, hepatocellular, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, bladder, thyroid, and colon cancer in vitro and in vivo. At present, only limited application of PEMF in cancer has been documented in humans. The referenced article reviews the experimental and clinical evidence of PEMF therapy discussing future perspectives in its use in oncology.
In conclusion, only two clinical studies have used PEMF therapy for cancer treatment. These studies show that PEMF therapy is safe and promising compared to other available cancer therapies. In the future, PEMFs could be used not only as primary therapy but also in combination with other common antineoplastic therapies.
Given that new portable and affordable PEMF devices are increasingly available on the market, future controlled clinical studies are expected to further determine the
potential of PEMF therapy in oncology.
Maria Vadalà, Julio Cesar Morales-Medina, Annamaria Vallelunga, Beniamino Palmieri, Carmen Laurino & Tommaso Iannitti, Cancer Medicine 2016; 5(11):3128–3139 doi: 10.1002/cam4.861