Possible Influence of Infrasound on Glioma Cell Response to Chemotherapy: A Pilot Study

Objective:To assess the response of cultured human tumor cells to infrasound in combination with con-ventional anticancer agents using an infrasound-emitting apparatus marketed as a therapeutic device. Design:Two pilot experiments measured proliferation of cultured brain tumor cells exposed to three treat-ment conditions: infrasound emission alone, infrasound in combination with the chemotherapy 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and infrasound in combination with ionizing radiation. Results from each experimental condition werecompared to those from appropriate control conditions. Outcome measure:A standard colony-forming efficiency assay was used to assess tumor cell proliferation.Results:Tumor cell proliferation was not significantly altered by treatment with infrasound alone, nor did infrasound appear to influence cellular response to x-rays. There was a significant interaction between 5-FUand infrasound (P,0.0001), however, evident in decreased colony formation. Conclusion:Further research is warranted to assess potential synergism between infrasound and 5-FU againsttumor cell proliferation, and to investigate the possible therapeutic use of infrasound.