{"entity":{"id":"ttfields","kind":"technology","name":"Tumour treating fields (TTFields)","aka":[],"tldr":"Wearable electrodes that deliver alternating electric fields disrupting cancer cell division.","summary":"Optune approved in glioblastoma (EF-14), mesothelioma, and NSCLC after platinum (LUNAR, 2024). Optune Pax approved in Q1 2026 with chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (PANOVA-3), the first approval specific to that setting in nearly 30 years. Mechanism and magnitude of benefit remain debated.","status":"approved","asOf":"2026-09-04","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor_treating_fields","links":[{"label":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumor_treating_fields"}],"tags":[],"related":["cryoablation-systems","microwave-rf-ablation"],"cancers":["glioblastoma","pancreatic","nsclc","mesothelioma"],"sections":["devices"],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":["optune"],"companies":["novocure"],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Low-intensity, intermediate-frequency (100-300 kHz) alternating fields interfere with mitotic spindle assembly and cytokinesis.","strengths":["Non-invasive, minimal systemic toxicity","Combinable with any drug"],"limitations":["18+ hours/day wear","Skin irritation","Sceptical reception of some trial designs"],"since":2011},"route":"/technologies/ttfields/","neighbours":{"technology":[{"id":"cryoablation-systems","kind":"technology","name":"Cryoablation systems","route":"/technologies/cryoablation-systems/"},{"id":"microwave-rf-ablation","kind":"technology","name":"Microwave and radiofrequency ablation systems","route":"/technologies/microwave-rf-ablation/"},{"id":"transcranial-focused-ultrasound-systems","kind":"technology","name":"Transcranial focused ultrasound systems (Exablate Neuro, SonoCloud)","route":"/technologies/transcranial-focused-ultrasound-systems/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"glioblastoma","kind":"cancer","name":"Glioma & glioblastoma","route":"/cancers/glioblastoma/"},{"id":"locally-advanced-pdac","kind":"cancer","name":"Locally advanced unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma","route":"/cancers/locally-advanced-pdac/"},{"id":"mesothelioma","kind":"cancer","name":"Mesothelioma","route":"/cancers/mesothelioma/"},{"id":"nsclc","kind":"cancer","name":"Non-small-cell lung cancer","route":"/cancers/nsclc/"},{"id":"pancreatic","kind":"cancer","name":"Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma","route":"/cancers/pancreatic/"}],"section":[{"id":"devices","kind":"section","name":"Devices & Physical Therapies","route":"/fronts/devices/"}],"drug":[{"id":"optune","kind":"drug","name":"Optune / Optune Pax (TTFields)","route":"/drugs/optune/"}],"company":[{"id":"novocure","kind":"company","name":"Novocure","route":"/companies/novocure/"}],"trial":[{"id":"nct05624918","kind":"trial","name":"A Study of NovoTTF-200T(P) in Combination With Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel for Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma","route":"/trials/nct05624918/"},{"id":"ef-14","kind":"trial","name":"EF-14","route":"/trials/ef-14/"},{"id":"panova-3","kind":"trial","name":"PANOVA-3","route":"/trials/panova-3/"},{"id":"stellar","kind":"trial","name":"STELLAR","route":"/trials/stellar/"},{"id":"nct06958328","kind":"trial","name":"Testing Higher Dose Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer","route":"/trials/nct06958328/"},{"id":"nct07284277","kind":"trial","name":"TTFields and Chemotherapy in Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma (mPDAC)","route":"/trials/nct07284277/"}],"paper":[{"id":"paper-stupp-temozolomide-nejm-2005","kind":"paper","name":"Stupp 2005: temozolomide added to radiotherapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma","route":"/key-papers/paper-stupp-temozolomide-nejm-2005/"},{"id":"paper-panova-3-ttfields-locally-advanced-pancreatic-jco-2025","kind":"paper","name":"Tumor Treating Fields With Gemcitabine and Nab-Paclitaxel for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Randomized, Open-Label, Pivotal Phase III PANOVA-3 Study","route":"/key-papers/paper-panova-3-ttfields-locally-advanced-pancreatic-jco-2025/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"devices-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Devices and physical therapies roadmap: heat and light → electric fields and focused sound → drug-releasing implants","route":"/roadmaps/devices-roadmap/"},{"id":"pancreatic-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Pancreatic cancer roadmap: from Whipple's operation to gemcitabine, FOLFIRINOX, adjuvant chemotherapy, PARP inhibition, KRAS inhibition, vaccines and the surveillance question","route":"/roadmaps/pancreatic-roadmap/"}],"person":[{"id":"roger-stupp","kind":"person","name":"Roger Stupp","route":"/people/roger-stupp/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-brain-delivery","kind":"bottleneck","name":"The brain: barrier and sanctuary","route":"/bottlenecks/b-brain-delivery/"}],"institution":[{"id":"northwestern-lurie","kind":"institution","name":"Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University","route":"/institutions/northwestern-lurie/"},{"id":"usz-zurich","kind":"institution","name":"University Hospital Zurich / Comprehensive Cancer Center Zurich","route":"/institutions/usz-zurich/"}],"term":[{"id":"bioelectric-theory-of-cancer","kind":"term","name":"Bioelectric theory of cancer (Levin)","route":"/terms/bioelectric-theory-of-cancer/"}]}}