In vitro cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines during pulsed magnetic field exposure.

In an in vitro cell growth assay, carboplatin potency against A-431 cells increased after a 1 hour PMF (pulsed magnetic field) exposure (calculated peak field 5.2 mTesla, with an average field strength of 0.525 mTeslarms; pulses rose for 120 microseconds and then abruptly fell to neutral, and were repeated at a rate of 100 or 250 pulses per second). This potentiating effect was not observed with cisplatin or daunomycin. When cytotoxicity against HT-29 cells was measured, PMF exposure potentiated both carboplatin and daunomycin, but again, not cisplatin. Both cell types exhibited increased growth when exposed only to PMF. Exposure to PMF consistently increased the cell growth of these cancer cell lines, while only some in vitro antineoplastic agents were potentiated by PMFs.