Karmanos Cancer Institute Physicians Begin Prescribing New FDA-approved Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Device to Treat Advanced Liver Cancer

Karmanos is the first in the world with access to this innovative treatment that uses radiofrequencies to target and shrink cancerous tumors

DETROIT, Dec. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, the largest provider of cancer care and research in Michigan and part of McLaren Health Care, announced today that the new TheraBionic P1 device, an FDA-approved, at-home treatment, is now available to treat advanced liver cancer. Karmanos Cancer Center is the first institution worldwide to prescribe this treatment.

The TheraBionic P1 device is a novel, handheld, portable device that produces low levels of 27.12 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, which are amplitude-modulated at tumor-specific frequencies. The device is coupled with a spoon-shaped antenna placed on the patient's tongue during treatment administered in three one-hour sessions daily, delivering low levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields throughout the patient's body. The electromagnetic fields block the growth of tumor cells without affecting healthy tissue.

The P1 device was FDA-approved in September 2023 for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer. Patients 18 years of age or older who have failed first- and second-line therapy are eligible for this treatment. The TheraBionic P1 device is the first FDA-approved systemic therapy using radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to treat cancer.

"This new treatment offers additional hope, extended life, and minimal side effects to patients with incurable cancer," said Boris Pasche, M.D., Ph.D., FACP, president and CEO of Karmanos and co-inventor of the TheraBionic P1 device. "Having this treatment finally come to market makes a meaningful difference in how we treat this disease and help our patients continue their lives."

Dr. Pasche is a renowned medical oncologist specializing in treating gastrointestinal malignancies and hereditary cancer. His research focuses on cancer susceptibility and new therapies.

With the TheraBionic P1 device, liver cancer frequencies are recognized by receptors on the liver cancer cells, transforming these frequency signals into growth arrest, making them solely effective in treating liver cancer. However, these same frequencies would not work for breast cancer tumors, and the reverse is also true. The radiofrequency levels delivered during treatment are lower than those generated by cellular phones when held close to the body.

HCC accounts for approximately 90% of all liver cancers, with average survival rates between 6 and 20 months. Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who fail first- and second-line therapies often have severely impaired liver function, with many patients needing to enter hospice care, so additional treatment options were previously limited or nonexistent. Multiple studies over two decades have shown using the TheraBionic P1 device resulted in tumor shrinkage, blocked new cancer cell growth, and increased overall survival rates. According to TheraBionic, Inc., patients undergoing treatment in these studies did not experience debilitating side effects associated with other cancer-fighting therapies, including loss of appetite, diarrhea, and irritation of the palms and soles.

A Patient and Caregiver's Experience
Robert Perrier's case highlights the benefits of TheraBionic P1 therapy in treating HCC. Diagnosed in January 2011, he experienced recurrence after surgery and subsequent failed treatments. Perrier began using the P1 device in September 2011 alongside oral chemotherapy, which his physician discontinued two years later due to side effects. From then until he died in 2017, he only received treatments from the P1 device, living nearly six years post-diagnosis. He passed away from kidney failure after declining dialysis following complications from a hip fracture.

His wife attributes her husband's additional years to using the device.

"…the TheraBionic device has provided my husband several additional years of life," said Eveline Perrier. "I hope that other patients will be able to benefit from the device in the future."

"I often think about my patients in the past who would have benefited in having more time with their loved ones if this device was available, which is why I am excited we can prescribe it to patients," said Anthony Shields, M.D., Ph.D., medical oncologist and member of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) at Karmanos. "As oncologists who treat gastrointestinal cancers, we often face some of the most incurable diseases. Our team is excited to be able to offer our patients another option in the fight, which is why patients come to Karmanos."

Learn More About the P1 Device
Advanced HCC patients and their caregivers may learn more about the P1 device and schedule a second opinion with a medical oncologist on the Karmanos Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology MDT by visiting karmanos.org/therabionic or calling 1-800-KARMANOS. Prescribing physicians are Wasif Saif, M.D., MBBS, medical oncologist and co-leader of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology MDT, Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS, medical oncologist and Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology MDT, and Dr. Shields.

About Liver Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), liver cancer diagnoses have been on the rise since 1980, with liver cancer incidence rates tripling and deaths from liver cancer doubling. ACS estimated that in 2024, more than 41,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with liver cancer, and nearly 30,000 patients have passed away from the disease.

Liver Cancer Treatment at Karmanos
At Karmanos, liver cancer is treated by the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology MDT, which includes surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists; interventional radiologists; pathologists; specialized nurse practitioners; dietitians; social workers; and genetic counselors. The team focuses entirely on treating gastrointestinal cancers and shares its collective expertise. Each patient receives a carefully constructed treatment plan designed to achieve the best possible outcome.

About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Karmanos Cancer Institute is a leader in transformative cancer care, research and education through courage, commitment and compassion. The Karmanos vision is a world free of cancer. As part of McLaren Health Care, Karmanos is the largest provider of cancer care and research in Michigan. For more than 75 years, the administrative and research headquarters, along with the premier specialty cancer hospital, have been located in downtown Detroit. With 16 network sites, Karmanos delivers world-renowned care and access to clinical trials throughout Michigan and northern Ohio. The National Cancer Institute recognizes Karmanos as one of the best cancer centers in the nation with a comprehensive cancer center designation. Its academic partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine provides the framework for cancer research and education – defining new standards of care and improving survivorship. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit www.karmanos.org. Follow Karmanos on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute