Magnetic fields and apoptosis: a possible mechanism

ABSTRACT The potential therapeutic uses of electromagnetic fields (EMF), part of the nonionizing radiation spectrum, increase with time. Among them, those considering the potential antitumor effects exerted by the Magnetic Fields (MFs), part of the EMF entity, have gained more and more interest. A recent review on this subject reports the MFs’ effect on apoptosis of tumor cells as one of the most important breakthroughs. Apoptosis is considered a key mechanism regulating the genetic stability of cells and as such is considered of fundamental importance in cancer initiation and development. According to an atomic/sub-atomic analysis, based on quantum physics, of the complexity of biological life and the role played by oxygen and its radicals in cancer biology, a possible biophysical mechanism is described. The mechanism considers the influence of MFs on apoptosis through an effect on electron spin that is able to increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration. Impacting on the delicate balance between ROS production and ROS elimination in tumor cells is considered a promising cancer therapy, affecting different biological processes, such as apoptosis and metastasis. An analysis in the literature, which allows correlation between MFs exposure characteristics and their influence on apoptosis and ROS concentration, supports the validity of the mechanism.