RESUMEN
Malignant brain neoplasms have a poor prognosis despite aggressive treatments. Animal models and evidence from human bodily tumors reveal that sustained reduction in tumor perfusion via electrical stimulation promotes tumor necrosis, therefore possibly representing a therapeutic option for patients with brain tumors. Here, we demonstrate that transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) allows to safely and noninvasively reduce intratumoral perfusion in humans. Selected patients with glioblastoma or metastasis underwent tES, while perfusion was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. Multichannel tES was applied according to personalized biophysical modeling, to maximize the induced electrical field over the solid tumor mass. All patients completed the study and tolerated the procedure without adverse effects, with tES selectively reducing the perfusion of the solid tumor. Results potentially open the door to noninvasive therapeutic interventions in brain tumors based on stand-alone tES or its combination with other available therapies.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias Encefálicas/terapia , Glioblastoma/terapia , Estimulación Transcraneal de Corriente Directa/métodos , Anciano , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Circulación Cerebrovascular/fisiología , Terapia Combinada , Femenino , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Seventy five adult patients suffering from partial epilepsy were investigated by MRI. Results were then compared with those obtained with CT scan and EEG analysis. The interval between the two neuroradiological studies did not exceed five years. MRI and CT showed abnormalities respectively in 45 and 55% of patients, MRI showed a better sensitivity in detecting ischemic or atrophy-gliosis chronic focal alterations. In the remaining lesions such as tumors, vascular malformations, cysts and diffuse atrophies, where often an urgent diagnosis is necessary, both tests were equally sensitive. EEG showed alterations in 80% of patients and agreed with results of CT scan and MRI in about 80% of cases.