Observations on the anti-glioma potential of electrical fields: is there a role for surgical neuromodulation?

Abstract

Alternating electrical field therapy represents a recent addition to the armamentarium against high grade glioma. Randomised trial evidence suggests a survival benefit from adjunctive scalp delivered Tumour Treating Fields (TTFields) in glioblastoma. Any underlying anti-glioma effect is not fully understood, but interference with cell division and microtubule assembly has been averred. The survival benefit claimed for TTFields is modest and is associated with mild reductions in health-related quality of life indices amid costs that presently preclude routine use. I review possible mechanisms by which alternating electrical fields may confer an anti-glioma effect. As scalp and skull are poor conductors of an electrical field, a case is made here for implantable electrodes, perhaps placed at the time of tumour debulking. Such a system may deliver an electrical field directly to the tumour resection cavity and with greater precision.

Keywords:

• Glioma
• glioblastoma
• neuromodulation
• brain tumours

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Mr Patrick Mitchell, Consultant Neurosurgeon and Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Neurosurgery for significant support in preparing this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).