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FDA Approves Device to Treat Brain Tumors

by Kathy Jones on Apr 16 2011 7:21 PM

 FDA Approves Device to Treat Brain Tumors
The first-of-a-kind treatment for cancerous brain tumors using electrical energy fields has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Novocure has revealed.
Known as NovoTTF, the device is being touted as an alternative to chemotherapy for brain cancer patients and can be effective for those patients who found a recurrence of their tumors after undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

The device weighs at six pounds and disrupts the division of cancer cells, and thereby preventing the spread of cancer, by using electric fields. While the NovoTTF does not completely destroy the cancer cells, researchers found that those who used the device were able to live up to six months, the same time period as those who underwent chemotherapy, but without many side effects.

The FDA revealed that they have approved the device specifically for a type of brain cancer known as glioblastoma, which is the most aggressive form of cancer with a five year survival chances being less than 2 percent among patients over 45 years of age.




Source-Medindia


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