Simulating Electric Field Distribution in Tumor Cells Undergoing Mitosis

Abstract

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 600,920 deaths caused by cancer will occur this year in the United States alone. Numerous cancer treatments have been developed to mitigate these fatalities. One treatment is an electric field applied to a tumor often coupled with drug therapy. In Tumor Treating Fields (TTF), electrical pulses cause electroporation to occur in a cell which results in the formation of pores in the cell membrane through which cancer drugs can enter the cell. TTF is a targeted treatment that results in minimal side effects, and such fields are most effective at disrupting cell division at the cytokinesis phase. However, predictions of tumor cell response to these fields have yet to be developed. This research pertains to modeling the electric field distribution of glial cancer cells in different stages of mitosis using a simulation software, COMSOL with the Joule heating physics module. The model incorporates an actively dividing cell to yield insight regarding how TTFs affect these cells during cell division, with glial cells being considered due to the wide use of TTFs against glioblastoma.  Intracellular component properties are also currently being implemented to increase model accuracy from preliminary research, and electrodes and pulses at varying frequencies are to be applied to the model cells for final data analysis. Results from these efforts could aid in designing more effective electrical field cancer treatment and guide efficient electrode placement to the tumor.