NovoTTF-100A (NovoCure) shows positive Phase III results for Brain Cancer

A Phase III randomised controlled trial comparing TTFields therapy versus chemotherapy in patients with recurrent Glioblastoma shows that the NovoTTF-100A, from NovoCure, is comparable to chemotherapy in extending overall survival, with minimal side effects and far better quality of life. Patients with a median age of 54 years were randomised to NovoTTF alone or active chemotherapy control. At a median follow-up of 39 months, median survival was 6.6 versus 6.0 months (p=0.27), one-year survival rate was 20% and 20%, and progression-free survival rate at six months was 21.4% and 15.1% (p=0.13), in NovoTTF and active control patients, respectively. Radiological responses were comparable (14% versus 9.6%, p=0.19), with 3% complete responses seen only in the NovoTTF arm. The most common NovoTTF-related adverse events were principally mild (14%) to moderate (2%) skin rash beneath the device's transducer arrays. The NovoTTF-100A device weighs about three kilograms and creates a low intensity, alternating electric field within the tumor that exerts physical forces on electrically charged cellular components, preventing the normal mitotic process and causing cancer cell death prior to division. It has marketing approval in the US and is a CE Marked device. See: "NovoTTF-100A versus physician�s choice chemotherapy in recurrent glioblastoma: A randomised phase III trial of a novel treatment modality." By Roger Stupp et al. Online 17 May 2012. Doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2012.04.01