Biological Effects of Intense Terahertz Waves at 2.88 THz on Breast Cancer and Melanoma Cells

Abstract

Current research has shown that terahertz (THz) waves can induce some bioeffects on certain human tumor cells. These effects are significant for potential applications in future tumor treatments. However, there are limited reports on the research advancements in this field, likely due to the scarcity of powerful THz sources. Here, we preliminarily report biological effects on breast cancer and melanoma cells using a powerful THz source at 2.88 THz from a THz free-electron laser. We observed obvious morphological changes, especially the early apoptotic phenomena, in both cancer cells. Flow cytometry results further confirmed that some cancer cells had undergone early apoptosis. An evaluation of the thermal effects suggests that the apoptosis observed in both cancer cells could be mainly attributed to the non-thermal effects induced by the strong THz waves. Our findings indicate the potential for utilizing strong THz waves in non-inflammatory cancer treatment in the future.