Comparison of Radiotherapy and Cold Plasma Treatment Approaches in Inhibiting the Growth of Cancer Cells

Abstract

Background: Radiotherapy is a prevalent modality for treating cancer; however, certain cancers, such as melanoma, exhibit resistance to ionizing radiation. Cold plasma, an emerging technology in the field of medical science, is currently under scrutiny for its unique properties. The primary objective of this research was to compare the efficacy of radiotherapy and cold plasma as treatment modalities for melanoma and healthy fibroblast cell lines. Methods: Melanoma cancer cells (DFW) and healthy fibroblasts (HFF) were exposed to radiotherapy doses of 1, 2, and 4 Gy, as well as cold plasma radiation for varying durations of 15, 30, 60, and 90 seconds. Subsequently, the outcomes of the MTT assay were compared. Furthermore, the level of apoptosis in each group was assessed utilizing flow cytometry. Findings: While the survival percentage in melanoma cells treated with radiotherapy did not significantly change compared to the control group, even at high doses, it reached 36 in cells treated with cold plasma. The survival rate in healthy cells reached 70 in high radiation doses, while in the treatment with cold plasma, no significant difference was observed even in long plasma irradiation times. Conclusion: The present study confirmed the anticancer and selectivity properties of cold plasma in treating melanoma cells. Compared with radiotherapy and cold plasma, cold plasma shows better performance than radiotherapy in melanoma cell treatment. © 2024 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.