In vivo enhancement of chemotherapy with static electric or magnetic fields

We evaluated the ability of both static electric and static magnetic fields to enhance the in vivo action of a chemotherapeutic agent, adriamycin, aga inst transplanted mammary tumors in mice. Female B6C3F1 mice with transplan ted mammary adenocarcinoma were divided into four randomized groups and inj ected with 10 mg/kg adriamycin on day 7 of the study. Three of the groups w ere then exposed to nonuniform static electric or static magnetic fields. T he resulting tumor regression in each group was measured four times during the remaining 13 days of the 20 day study. Two-sided statistical tests reve aled all of the Static field exposed groups achieved significantly greater (P less than or equal to .05) tumor regression than the group treated with adriamycin only, with P-values in a range as low as .0001. There is an almo st universal need in disease treatment to increase the efficacy and deliver y of bioactive agents against target cells. The technology demonstrated her e may result in improved use of therapeutic materials ranging from drugs to genetic agents. In addition, our findings point to possible hazards from t he in vivo enhancing action of static fields on administered or environment ally encountered chemicals. Bioelectromagnetics 21:575-583, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.