Electrotherapy, a recent mode for anticancer treatment

Cancer is a quite serious scientific and health problem, for which conventional or alternative therapies are used to solve these subjects. Among several methods, electrotherapy has been recently used by applying low and continuous electric current. In 1983, Nordenström reported in a systematic way for the first time, the main experiences and results using electrotherapy technologies with clinic effectiveness. In 1988, Pekar referred his experience about superficial tumours treatment using electrotherapy methods. Notwithstanding the great historic value of these experiences, this mode of treatment has not been so developed in occidental countries. Low cost combined with the high effectiveness of these processes lead China to a great development when compared to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In this oriental country this technique is applied in more than 1200 hospitals, and reaches more than 9000 patients with serious cases. This therapy has been discussed by conventional doctors in several countries and recently has been observed a huge concern in this subject due to electrolysis phenomena. Based on published results it is intended to start improvements about electrotherapy. The aim of this first article is to evaluate the development status and its electrotherapeutical potentialities for cancer purpose.