Galvanotherapy is a treatment method used in alternative cancer medicine. Experts also refer to the method as electro-cancer therapy (ECT) or percutaneous electro-tumor therapy (PET). It goes back to the biophysicist Luigi Galvani. Below you will find further information and specialists in galvanotherapy.
The procedure named after Luigi Galvani was further developed by Dr. Rudolf Pekar and Dr. Björn Nordenstrøm. Dr. Björn Nordenstrøm from Stockholm discovered conspicuous structures on X-ray images in the 1970s. He analyzed them and discovered that these structures were caused by electrochemical and electrical phenomena. He subsequently developed a system based on electrical fields that is used in cancer therapy. At the same time, Dr. Rudolf Pekar in Austria was also working on this form of therapy and used it to treat various types of cancer.
Every cell in the body has a cell membrane that has a protective and enveloping function. The cell membrane can withstand a voltage of between 80 and 100 millivolts (mV). In the event of disease or degeneration (e.g. due to a lack of nutrients or oxygen), the potential of the membrane drops to below 20 mV.
Due to the loss of voltage, the conductivity of a cancer cell, for example, is then much higher than the conductivity of a healthy cell. This is precisely where galvanotherapy comes in, as it works with a current of 30 to 80 milliamperes (mA). To do this, doctors place special electrodes directly over the tumor on the skin. This reduces the size of the tumor and does not damage any healthy cells.
Galvanotherapy is usually performed on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia. Depending on the size of the tumor, doctors need two or more electrodes. They are shaped like thin needles. They are then inserted directly into the tumor through the skin.
During the therapy, the patient feels a slight tingling sensation or a slight pressure pain. The treatment is always carried out below the pain threshold. The direct current used causes pain attenuation in the tissue, which lasts for a very long time. The patient is also pain-free after the treatment.
The medical device used in galvanotherapy consists of a direct current source that can be programmed. It is controlled by a computer that records the entire course of the therapy. Optionally, doctors can treat two different areas of the body at the same time using two groups of electrodes that can be controlled independently.
Killing the cancerous tissue does cause an inflammatory reaction. However, this subsides after a few days. The cancer tissue is broken down naturally through increased activity of the phagocytes. Scar tissue then replaces the cancerous tissue. Electrochemical tumor therapy is a supplement to radiotherapeutic and surgical therapies.
Galvanotherapy is suitable for localized tumours in the breast, head and neck, cervix, intestines, liver, pancreas, skin and lungs @ Dr_Microbe /AdobeStock
During the treatment, the patient lies on a table and the direct current destroys the tissue by means of electrolysis. Due to the ion migration, the pH value in the tissue shifts considerably. An alkaline value then develops at the cathode, while the pH value at the anode is acidic. The direct current also changes the membrane potentials in and around the cell. This disrupts important physiological functions.
The vessels at the cathode dilate, while dehydration occurs at the anode. This inhibits inflammation and relieves pain. The therapy does not cause any pain and the body rejects the tumor tissue after a few weeks.
Excretion takes place via the metabolism or the tissue moves encapsulated to the body surface. To enhance the effect, experts recommend a combination of vital substance, mineral and vitamin infusions.
Compared to other forms of therapy, the treatment has relatively few side effects.
Known side effects are
Muscle cramps due to prolonged lying down, sensory disturbances, discomfort or dizziness occur rather rarely.
Galvanotherapy isnot suitable if there are electronic components or metal parts in the body (prostheses, pacemakers, metal plates).
Galvanotherapy is also not recommended for patients suffering from severe heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia or epileptic seizures.
Galvanotherapy is also unsuitable for:
The success or duration of galvanotherapy always depends on the location, nature and size of the tumor. Doctors usually need one to two sessions to treat skin cancer. If the tumor is deeper, up to ten sessions may be necessary. These then take place once or twice a week.
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