One of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers is glioblastoma, a rare but often deadly form of brain cancer. Patients diagnosed with it go through surgery, multiple cycles of chemo and radiation and yet, very few will survive it. A new device hopes to extend the life of patients dealing with glioblastoma by using alternating electromagnetic therapy, via a futuristic looking skull cap that one patient calls her "super hero cap."
The cap is worn on a bare scalp and connected to a generator that patients carry with them. The electrodes on the cap emit low intensity electric fields. What these fields do is interfere with cell reproduction. When cells multiply, that is how cancer spreads, so the hope is that this electric field can kill off cells. In a study from Northwestern University, where the cap was engineered, patients who wore it saw an increase in median survival times from 16 months to 21 months. While it's not a cure, just ask any cancer patient if an extra few months is worth a try.