SELECTIVE POTENTIATION OF GYNECOLOGIC CANCER CELL-GROWTH IN-VITRO BY ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELDS

Objective. Epidemiological data suggest that exposure to electromagnet ic fields (EMF) may increase the risk of various cancers. We evaluated EMF effects on the in vitro growth response of human cell lines isola ted from various reproductive tract tissues. We also assessed the effe cts of EMF on cisplatin- or paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity, Methods. Endometrial, ovarian, and prostate cancer cell lines as well as immort alized endometrial stromal cells and immortalized ovarian epithelial c ells were exposed continually to EMF. Proliferation was assessed by th e metabolic activity assay, MTT, direct cell counting, and anchorage-i ndependent colony formation in soft agar. Cytotoxicity induced by cisp latin or paclitaxel was assessed using the MTT assay. Results. Continu ous exposure to EMF at held strengths of 2 G enhanced proliferation of two human prostate and three endometrial, but only one ovarian, cance r cell lines. EMF enhanced metabolic activity of cancer cells within 9 6 h and increased absolute cell number (anchorage-dependent proliferat ion) and colony-forming efficiency (anchorage-independent proliferatio n) over sham-treated controls. EMF had no effect on cytotoxicity induc ed by the chemotherapeutic agents Taxol or cisplatin, Conclusions. Con tinuous exposure to EMF can enhance growth rates of transformed cells for some human epithelial cancers. Cancer cells from the steroid sex h ormone regulated tissues of endometrium and prostate appeared to be mo re responsive to EMF than cells from ovarian cancers, (C) 1998 Academi c Press.