Optune Lua for Lung Cancer

Overview
Optune Lua is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults who have progressed on or after a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. It is used concurrently with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (immunotherapy) or the chemotherapy drug docetaxel. 

The device uses tumor treating fields (TTFields) — alternating electric fields that target and disrupt the division of cancer cells. This disruption leads to cancer cell death, which slows the progression of the disease. 

How do I use it?
Optune Lua is a portable device worn on the body. It consists of adhesive patches (transducer arrays) placed on the chest to deliver tumor treating fields directly to the cancer cells. These electric fields target dividing cells without affecting healthy tissue. The device is used continuously for at least 18 hours a day, and users may need to wear it for several months, depending on the progress of their disease. Optune Lua should be used exactly as prescribed by a health care provider​​.

Side effects
According to the manufacturer, the most common side effects of Optune Lua when used together with certain immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatments include dermatitis (skin inflammation), pain in the muscles, bones, or joints, fatigue, anemia (low levels of red blood cells), alopecia (hair loss), dyspnea (shortness of breath), nausea, cough, diarrhea, anorexia (loss of appetite), pruritus (itching), leukopenia (low white blood cell count), pneumonia, respiratory tract infection, localized edema (swelling), rash, pain, constipation, skin ulcers, hypokalemia (low potassium levels), hypoalbuminemia (low albumin levels), hyponatremia (low sodium levels), and dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)​​.

Other potential adverse effects include treatment-related skin irritation, allergic reactions to the adhesive or the gel, overheating of the array leading to pain or local skin burns, infections at the sites where the arrays make contact with the skin, local warmth and tingling beneath the arrays, medical device site reactions, muscle twitching, and skin breakdown or ulcers.

For more information about this treatment, visit:

FDA Approves Optune Lua Device in NSCLC — AJMC

FDA Approves Novocure’s Optune Lua for the Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer — Novocure