This publication review explores the emerging cancer therapy modality known as Capacitance Electric Field (CEF), a non-invasive approach utilizing low-frequency alternating electric fields to selectively disrupt mitosis in tumor cells while sparing normal tissues. Through preclinical and early clinical studies, CEF has demonstrated tumor growth inhibition via multiple mechanisms including interference with microtubule polymerization, mitotic spindle disruption, and apoptosis induction. The article highlights real-world clinical applications across diverse malignancies such as glioblastoma multiforme, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors, documenting improved radiological response, disease control, and in some cases, survival.
Mechanistically, CEF exerts anti-tumor effects by altering cell membrane polarization, perturbing mitotic chromosomal alignment, and modulating immune checkpoints such as PD-L1 and IL-18 expression. Unlike treatments targeting specific mutations, CEF’s biophysical mechanism provides a broad-spectrum therapeutic potential, especially valuable for patients with limited molecular-targeted options. The integration of CEF with conventional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, is also discussed, with emphasis on the importance of further randomized controlled trials to validate efficacy, optimize protocols, and expand clinical utility.
