Plasma-Conditioned Liquids as Anticancer Therapies <i>In Vivo</i>: Current State and Future Directions

Plasma-conditioned liquids (PCL) are gaining increasing attention in the medical field, especially in oncology, and translation to the clinics is advancing on a good path. This emerging technology involving cold plasmas has great potential as a therapeutic approach in cancer diseases, as PCL have be...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xavi Solé-Martí, Albert Espona-Noguera, Maria-Pau Ginebra, Cristina Canal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Cancers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/3/452
Description
Summary:Plasma-conditioned liquids (PCL) are gaining increasing attention in the medical field, especially in oncology, and translation to the clinics is advancing on a good path. This emerging technology involving cold plasmas has great potential as a therapeutic approach in cancer diseases, as PCL have been shown to selectively kill cancer cells by triggering apoptotic mechanisms without damaging healthy cells. In this context, PCL can be injected near the tumor or intratumorally, thereby allowing the treatment of malignant tumors located in internal organs that are not accessible for direct cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment. Therefore, PCL constitutes a very interesting and minimally invasive alternative to direct CAP treatment in cancer therapy, avoiding surgeries and allowing multiple local administrations. As the field advances, it is progressively moving to the evaluation of the therapeutic effects of PCL in <i>in vivo</i> scenarios. Exciting developments are pushing forward the clinical translation of this novel therapy. However, there is still room for research, as the quantification and identification of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in <i>in vivo</i> conditions is not yet clarified, dosage regimens are highly variable among studies, and other more relevant <i>in vivo</i> models could be used. In this context, this work aims to present a critical review of the state of the field of PCL as anticancer agents applied in <i>in vivo</i> studies.
ISSN:2072-6694