ELECTROCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF TUMORS (ECT): ELECTROOSMOTIC DEWATERING (EOD) AS THE PRIMARY MECHANISM

ABSTRACT

A recent series of experimental papers on the electrochemical treatment (ECT) of tumors provide empirical data and observations amenable to a theoretical analysis of this phenomenon from an electrochemical point of view. An attempt is made here to develop the idea that ECT is a case of electroosmotic dewatering (EOD) of the tumor tissue with the consequent changes in pH, with the concomitant role of reactions at the electrodes. Some speculative suggestions are made to enhance the efficacy of the ECT process; in particular, a multi-electrode system is proposed to achieve complete necrosis of a large tumor

Key Words:

• Electrochemical treatment of tumors (ECT)
• electroosmotic dewatering (EOD) of biological tissues
• electroosmosis in surgery
• zeta potential and electrochemical double layers in biology
• electroosmotic dewatering of tumors
• necrosis caused by electroosmotic dewatering (EOD)