In a nod to their hopes for the new FDA-approved medical device, physicians from Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center are sending mesothelioma patients home with the NovoTTF-110L. The device is the first mesothelioma treatment that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved in more than fifteen years.
Tumor Treating Fields Stop Tumor Growth
Pleural mesothelioma patients whose tumors are deemed inoperable have traditionally been offered options including multi-modality therapies including chemotherapy and radiation therapy. These have been aimed at shrinking their tumors as much as possible in order to keep them as comfortable. The NovoTTF-11L combined with chemotherapy offers an alternative.
Baylor’s Mesothelioma Treatment Center physicians are sending the patients home with the device, which they wear at home up to 18 hours each day. The NovoTTF-100L uses electric fields that are tuned to specific frequencies known to stop cell division within solid tumor cancers. The lightweight device is carried in a backpack and is powered by rechargeable batteries. Patients simply place its pads on their chest to get the benefit of the tumor treating fields.
Physicians Seek Improved Quality of Life for Mesothelioma Patients
Speaking on behalf of the physicians who work at Baylor’s Mesothelioma Treatment Center, Dr. R. Taylor Ripley said, “We are always looking for treatments to improve the survival, quality of life, and options for patients with mesothelioma. NovoTTF-100L provides another therapeutic options that may be valuable, therefore, we have added it to our treatment options at Baylor College of Medicine.” Ripley is an associate professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, director of the Mesothelioma Treatment Center and a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Mesothelioma patients who would like information on tumor treating fields and other innovative treatment options are encouraged to contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608.
