First achievements and opportunities for cancer treatment using non-thermal plasma

Abstract

This paper summarizes the experimental results and plasma delivery strategy developed in Orléans for the evaluation of antitumor action of dielectric barrier discharge and plasma gun for cancer treatment. Detailed analysis of biological effects following non thermal plasma application for both in vitro and in vivo experiments reveals the role of ROS, DNA damage induction, cell cycle modification and apoptosis induction. Recent characterization of plasma splitting and -mixing in different capillary geometries, using the plasma gun, together with preliminary tolerance study dealing with lung and colon treatment indicate that endoscopic plasma delivery may be a new and valuable therapy in cancerology. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.