TEHRAN – Iranian researchers have succeeded to achieve technology for manufacturing a brain tumor treating device that was monopolized by a company in Israel.

Tumor treating devices are low intensity alternating electric fields, which are tuned to interfere with the division process of cancer cells, the system is a portable, light-weighted, battery-operated device.

Patients receiving need to wear four transducer arrays on their scalp, which deliver the fields non-invasively to the brain. The system is intended for continuous home use by patients.
Alireza Majid Ansari, research team leader, told the Tehran Times on Wednesday that the devices are used for the treatment of adult patients suffering from recurrent and newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

This is the result of the team's many years of research and work; the technology belonged by a company in Israel that served the United States and European companies, he noted, adding, of course, the device is rented to patients.

“We have redesigned the device; its laboratory sample has been successfully developed and is in the process of the clinical trial,” he added.

There are many problems with treating brain tumors, as surgery is not easy for this type of tumor, also, drug delivery to the brain is hard, and the brain and spinal cord are a great hurdle for brain drug delivery. On the other hand, brain radiotherapy is difficult because of its system and structure, he lamented.

This device uses MRI and CT scan information of the patient and accurately determines the dimensions of the tumor and its location, then an electric field is applied, he also said.
“Of course, the device is different from its foreign-made model, which causes allergic reactions for some patient, but we tried to solve the problem using nanotechnology,” he highlighted, adding, it should pass the clinical trial to determine how efficiently works.

“Researchers are using this device to increase the life expectancy of patients; of course, the response varies from patient to patient, in some patients, the tumor disappears after several months of use, but in others, especially those who have had a relapse, it is recommended to continue using the device for a lifetime,” he concluded.

FB/MG