Field Uniformity Optimization for Integrated Capacitance Sensing of Tumor Treating Field-Treated Cancer Cell Cultures
Abstract
An emerging modality in cancer treatment is tumor treating fields (TTF). It consists of electric fields of approximately 1 V RMS /cm in strength and of around 200 kHz in frequency. When these fields are aligned with a cancer cell's mitotic spindle, they can impede cell division. This method has improved overall patient survival in glioblastoma patients, remarkably with limited side effects. However there are still many unknowns associated with this therapy. Thus, to assist the discovery effort and facilitate further studies, we previously designed and successfully tested an in vitro integrated capacitance sensing TTF microsystem for autonomous and label-free detection of the effect TTFs on breast cancer cells. Herein, we propose an update to the microsystem's electrode geometry. Our novel approach eases the trade-offs between size, material usage, and consistency of treatment. Based on simulation studies and a physical model, we show that the new approach reduced an applied field's magnitude variance by 63% and angle variance by 54%. These gains should translate to improved repeatability, looser manufacturing tolerances, and smaller designs.