It has been several months since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration provided approval for Novocure’s Tumor Treating Fields device to be used in treating malignant mesothelioma. The innovative delivery system is in use by a growing number of cancer treatment centers across the country, and now has officially been given a brand name. The company announced that patients diagnosed with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic mesothelioma can now discuss the NovoTTF-100L device using the name Optune Lua.
Mesothelioma Device Offers Hope for Improved Outcomes
According to Novocure’s Chief Commercial Officer, Pritesh Shah, the Optune Lua name was chosen for its suggestion of hope. “The Optune brand emphasizes the unique product offerings of Novocure’s Tumor Treating Fields delivery systems and suggests the prospect of hope and optimized care. Optune Lua is easy to pronounce and remember, and should help patients, caregivers and providers ask for the treatment by name.”
The company’s Tumor Treating fields delivery systems are not exclusive to malignant mesothelioma treatment. With a variety of Tumor Treating Fields delivery systems available for treatment of other types of cancers, and more expected in the future, the company felt it was necessary to distinguish between the devices used for different maladies.
Optune Lua Offers Noninvasive Treatment That Shrinks Mesothelioma Tumors
The Optune Lua is a portable device that physicians can prescribe for patients diagnosed with unresectable malignant mesothelioma. It uses low frequency electric fields specifically designed to interrupt the division of cancer cells, and in doing so it stops tumors from growing, and in many cases makes malignant cells die.
Because the device does not use heat or any kind of stimulation, instead targeting cells that are a specific size that are most likely to be dividing, it leaves healthy cells largely undisturbed, with adverse effects limited to mild-to-moderate skin irritation. It has proven highly effective in a wide range of aggressive solid tumors.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, this product is one of many that can offer hope for improved quality of life and longer-term survival. For information on the options available to you, contact the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net at 1-800-692-8608.
