title: Mechanisms and therapeutic effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in oncology.
abstract: 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, 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. In this article, we review the experimental and clinical evidence of PEMF therapy discussing future perspectives in its use in oncology.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Surgical Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Medical School, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vadalà
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV- Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico.
authors.forename: Julio Cesar
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Morales-Medina
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEMAND), University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallelunga
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Surgical Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Medical School, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Beniamino
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Surgical Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Medical School, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laurino
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iannitti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000528:radiation effects; D000068456:Clinical Studies as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006801:Humans; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cancer; electromagnetic therapy; oncology; pulsed electromagnetic fields; tumor-specific frequencies