Tumor‐treating fields (TTFields) are low‐intensity and intermediate‐frequency alternating electric fields that have been found to inhibit tumor cell growth. While effective, the mechanism by which TTFields affect cell growth is not yet clearly understood. Although numerous mathematical studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields on single cells exist, the effect of TTFields on single cells have been analyzed less frequently. The goal of this study is to explore through a mathematical analysis the effects of TTFields on single cells, with particular emphasis on the thermal effect. We examine herein two single‐cell models, a simplified spheroidal model and a simulation of a U‐87 MG glioblastoma cell model obtained from microscopic images. A finite element method is used to analyze the electric field distribution, electromagnetic loss, and thermal field distribution. The results further prove that the electric field in the cytoplasm is too weak and its thermal damage can be excluded as a mechanism for cell death in TTFields. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:438–446. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

中文翻译：

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肿瘤电场对单细胞影响的理论分析。

肿瘤治疗场（TTFields）是低强度和中频交变电场，已发现它们会抑制肿瘤细胞的生长。虽然有效，但TTFields影响细胞生长的机制尚不清楚。尽管存在许多关于电磁场对单细胞影响的数学研究，但对TTFields对单细胞的影响的分析频率却较低。这项研究的目的是通过数学分析来探索TTFields对单细胞的影响，尤其着重于热效应。我们在这里检查了两个单细胞模型，一个简化的球体模型和一个从显微图像获得的U-87 MG胶质母细胞瘤细胞模型的仿真。有限元方法用于分析电场分布，电磁损耗，和热场分布。结果进一步证明细胞质中的电场太弱，其热损伤可以作为TTFields中细胞死亡的机制而排除。生物电磁学。2020; 41：438-446。©2020生物电磁学会。