Reactive Species from Cold Atmospheric Plasma: Implications for Cancer Therapy

• Published in: Plasma processes and polymers Vol. 11; no. 12; pp. 1120 - 1127
• Main Author: Graves, David B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2014; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Air plasma; Anticancer properties; Atmospherics; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Genes; Ionizing radiation; Oxidative stress; Plasma; Stresses; Therapy; Tumors
• ISSN: 1612-8850; 1612-8869
• DOI: 10.1002/ppap.201400068

Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAP) formed in air generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). RONS are biologically and therapeutically active agents and experimental evidence suggests that air plasmas shrink tumors by increasing oxidative and nitrosative stress on neoplastic tissue. Most mainline anti‐cancer therapies – including ionizing radiation and chemotherapies – also operate primarily via this pro‐oxidant, oxidative, and nitrosative stress mechanism. The main disadvantage of these conventional therapies is the development of treatment‐resistant cells. A key question for plasma cancer therapies is therefore whether or not cold plasma will lead to similar oxidative stress resistance. However, there are hints that combining nitrosative stress with oxidative stress via air plasma might avoid this problem. Plasma‐based cancer treatment may be a powerful and practical anti‐cancer agent, acting either alone or in combination with other therapies.
Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) may become an important anti‐cancer therapy. CAP‐generated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are known to be therapeutically active agents. Most mainline anti‐cancer therapies such as radiation‐ and chemo‐therapies use a pro‐oxidant mechanism, but they are often limited by the development of treatment‐resistant tumors. CAP‐generated nitrosative stress coupled with oxidative stress might avoid this problem.