Search Results
Plasma medical oncology: Immunological interpretation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
The prognosis of patients suffering from advanced-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains poor. Medical gas plasma therapy receives growing attention as a novel anticancer modality. Our recent prospective observational study on HNSCC patients suffering from contaminated tumor ulcerations without lasting remission after first-line anticancer therapy showed remarkable efficacy of gas plasma treatment, with the ulcerated tumor surface decreasing by up to 80%. However, tumor growth relapsed, and this biphasic response may be a consequence of immunological and molecular changes in the tumor microenvironment that could be caused by (a) immunosuppression, (b) tumor cell adaption, (c) loss of microbe-induced immunostimulation, and/or (d) stromal cell adaption. These considerations may be vital for the design of clinical plasma trials in the future.
White paper on plasma for medicine and hygiene: Future in plasma health sciences
Plasma Science and Technology offer their valuable contribution to human health since more than 50 years, after decades of experiences in the field of biomaterials; and more than a decade in using plasmas for therapeutic uses in medicine. Current knowledge as well as key challenges and opportunities for the human health have been intensely discussed during the Future in Plasma Science II (FIPS II) workshop in February 2016 in Greifswald, Germany. This contribution summarizes the major outcomes of the meeting and the current literature and consensus with an emphasis on major challenges in the fields of Plasma Science and Technology for improving human health.
Zebrafish larvae as a toxicity model in plasma medicine
Plasma technology has emerged as a promising tool in medicine that, however, requires not only efficacy but also toxicological assessments. Traditional cell culture systems are fast and economical, but they lack in vivo relevance; however, rodent models are highly complex and necessitate extended facilities. Zebrafish larvae bridge this gap, and many larvae can be analyzed in well plates in a single run, giving results in 1–2 days. Using the kINPen, we found plasma exposure to reduce hedging rates and viability in a dose-dependent manner, accompanied with an increase in reactive oxygen species and a decrease of glutathione in plasma-treated fish. Modest growth alterations were also observed. Altogether, zebrafish larvae constitute a fast, reliable, and relevant model for testing the toxicity of plasma sources.