The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, a part of McLaren Health Care, has commenced the prescription of a new radiofrequency electromagnetic device, TheraBionic P1, for the treatment of advanced liver cancer.
Developed by US-based medical device company TheraBionic, the device was approved in September 2023 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of liver cancer.
The portable, handheld TheraBionic P1 leverages radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to target tumour cells in patients.
It employs 27.12MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, amplitude-modulated at tumour-specific frequencies. It operates at radiofrequency levels lower than those emitted by mobile phones when held close to the body.
During the treatment, the individuals hold a spoon-shaped antenna on their tongue for three one-hour sessions daily, which distributes the radiofrequency throughout the body, selectively inhibiting tumour cell growth without harming healthy tissue.
Eligible patients include those aged 18 and above who have not responded to first and second-line therapies.
The liver cancer cells have receptors that recognise the specific frequencies emitted by the device, halting their growth. These frequencies are disease-specific and would not be effective against other types of cancer, such as breast cancer.
Karmanos CEO and president and TheraBionic P1 device co-inventor Boris Pasche said: “This new treatment offers additional hope, extended life, and minimal side effects to patients with incurable cancer.
“Having this treatment finally come to market makes a meaningful difference in how we treat this disease and help our patients continue their lives.”
More than two decades of studies have demonstrated that the device can shrink tumours, prevent the growth of new malignant cells, and improve overall survival rates.
TheraBionic has reported that patients treated with the device experienced none of the debilitating side effects commonly associated with other cancer therapies.
