Ion transport studies in the electrochemical treatment of tumors: experiments and simulations

MAGLIETTI, FELIPE; TURJANSKI, PABLO; OLAIZ, NAHUEL; MICHINSKI, SEBATIÁN; SUAREZ, CECILIA; MOLINA, FERNANDO; MARSHALL, GUILLERMO

Maine - USA

Conferencia; Gordon Research Conference in Bioelectrochemistry; 2010

University of New England

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a local antitumoral treatment that combines cell-membrane-permeabilizing electric pulses with non-permeant or poorly-permeant anticancer drugs (Mir L, Eur J Cancer Supplements, 11(4): 38-44, 2006). EChT is another type of electro- chemical treatment that applies constant direct electric currents giving rise to opposing pH fronts emerging from both electrodes until collision somewhere between them. It has been suggested that these pH changes can be used to predict the extent of the tumor necrotic area. While in EChT tumor necrosis is the main goal of the treatment, in ECT necrosis is a collateral effect to be minimized. In the present work, we quantify and predict for the first time the phenomena of pH front generation in ECT. Our results suggest that they can be used for minimizing tissue damage during ECT treatment.