Essential Questions to ask if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Mesothelioma ***IMPORTANT***

Multimodal Treatment With Mesothelioma Tumor Treating Fields

Posted on: October 18, 2023 *Updated on: May 27, 2024

Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) technology has gained attention as a novel treatment approach for certain types of cancers. Optune Lua is a device that utilizes this technology specifically for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the information you provided:

  1. Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields): This technology uses electric fields to target rapidly dividing cancer cells. These alternating electric fields can disrupt the process of cell division in cancerous cells, thus potentially slowing or stopping tumor growth.
  2. Optune Lua: This specific device is designed to deliver TTFields for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma. The “Lua” in its name denotes its application for lung-associated tumors (mesothelioma primarily affects the lining of the lungs).
  3. Usage with Chemotherapy: The device is meant to be used in conjunction with chemotherapy. This multimodal approach, combining TTFields with chemotherapy, is believed to enhance the overall effectiveness of the treatment.
  4. Treatment for Unresectable Cases: “Unresectable” refers to tumors that cannot be removed entirely by surgery due to their location, size, or spread. For such cases, alternative treatments like Optune Lua can be especially valuable.
  5. Survival Rate: The median survival rate is 18.4 months with Optune Lua, which is noteworthy, especially if it outperforms chemotherapy alone. Median survival is a statistic that indicates the time at which half of the study population is still alive; in this context, half of the patients treated with Optune Lua survived 18.4 months or longer.

Overall, the development and approval of treatments like Optune Lua exemplify the ongoing advancements in oncology and the move towards more targeted, non-invasive treatments for cancer. As always, patients and their healthcare providers should weigh the potential benefits against the possible risks and side effects when considering any treatment.