A breakthrough treatment is now available for mesothelioma patients, and the first patient in the country has begun treatment with the device. Mesothelioma doctors outline the advantages of the device, given the current options available.

The new treatment is NovoTTL-100L, and is a noninvasive therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May. The fact that the treatment is noninvasive presents an exciting option for patients who otherwise face invasive treatments — chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.

The technology is part of Novocure’s Tumor Treating Fields technology, which has been available since 2015 to treat a number of other kinds of cancers, including small-cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, and some brain tumors. 

The device works by distributing an electrical current from a low-voltage electrical field into a person’s chest. The electrical current then is intended to disrupt the cancer cell when it divides.

The NovoTTL-100L is worn 18 hours a day until the disease progresses, meaning that the individual may be wearing it for a significant amount of time. The electrical field is distributed via three pads, attached to the front and back of the patient’s chest. This design does pose some serious challenges, and may be cumbersome.

To operate, the device must either be plugged in or the wearer can carry a large rechargeable battery pack. The charging pads must be changed every two or three days. The skin beneath the charging pads must be shaved in order for the pads to properly connect with the skin.

However, the inconveniences may be worth it, as mesothelioma tends to be an aggressive cancer, explain mesothelioma doctors. Dr. Jaques Fontaine, a thoracic surgeon who was part of the advisory group for the NovoTTF-100L’s use in mesothelioma device, outlined the device’s benefits, as well as its drawbacks.

According to Dr. Fontaine, “With an aggressive cancer such as mesothelioma, which has no definitive cure and very few options, this is innovative and something to get excited about.” He went on to note that the device is not flawless, saying, “It’s not going to be the first go-to treatment, but an addition to chemotherapy or surgery for patents who have tumor progression.”

Mesothelioma doctors at Mayo Clinic explain that mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the tissue that lines most internal organs. In some cases, mesothelioma is not malignant, but unfortunately, it usually is, and can spread.

Mesothelioma cancer most commonly forms in the lining of the lungs, hence placing the pads of the NovoTTL-100L on the chest. Mesothelioma is just one type of cancer that can affect the lungs, accounting for approximately 5 percent of all respiratory cancers, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

Pleural mesothelioma forms in the lining of the lungs. The lining of the lungs is known as the pleura. Pleural mesothelioma is most commonly linked to asbestos exposure. The American Cancer Society explains that mesothelioma can form in the lungs after asbestos fibers are breathed in. They then travel though the lungs into the pleura.

Once the fibers have lodged in the lungs, they can cause inflammation and scarring, and damage to the DNA, causing cancer to develop, says the American Cancer Society.