This site is intended for US healthcare professionals only.

MECHANISM OF ACTION

Optune Pax® delivers TTFields, which disrupt processes critical for cancer cell division and survival1,2

What are Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)?

TTFields are alternating electric fields that target the electrical properties of cancer cells to disrupt cell viability without significantly affecting healthy cells.3-5

Healthy cell

T cell

Microtubule

Tumor cell

TTFields

Tubulin dimers

Disrupt mitosis4,6-8

As cancer cells divide rapidly, they are vulnerable to the antimitotic effects of TTFields. Preclinical evidence has shown that by exerting physical forces on electrically charged components of cancer cells, TTFields can disrupt mitotic processes, such as assembly of the mitotic spindle, leading to impaired cell division and downstream immunogenic cell death.

Downstream immune response4,9,10

Preclinical data showed that immunogenic cell death leads to expansion of T cells that target cancer-specific antigens, increased T-cell infiltration at the tumor site, and increased cancer cell surveillance throughout the body. 

Why are healthy cells not significantly affected by Optune Pax?

Healthy cells have different properties (including division rate, morphology, and electrical properties) from cancer cells and, therefore, are not significantly affected by Optune Pax.3-5

Is Optune Pax right for your patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer?

Learn about eligibility

AE=adverse event.

 

 

 

References: 1. Optune Pax for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (LAPC). Physician Instructions for Use. Novocure; 2026. 2. Novocure Data on File 2025. [EF-27 (PANOVA-3) Study protocol.] 3. Vergote I, Macarulla T, Hirsch FR, Hagemann C, Miller DS. Tumor treating fields (TTFields) therapy concomitant with taxanes for cancer treatment. Cancers (Basel). 2023;15(3):636. doi:10.3390/cancers15030636 4. Karanam NK, Story MD. An overview of potential novel mechanisms of action underlying tumor treating fields-induced cancer cell death and their clinical implications. Int J Radiat Biol. 2021;97(8):1044-1054. doi:10.1080/09553002.2020.1837984 5. Ahmad MA, Al Natour Z, Mustafa F, Rizvi TA. Electrical characterization of normal and cancer cells. IEEE Access. 2018;6:25979-25986. doi:10.1109/access.2018.2830883 6. Gera N, Yang A, Holtzman TS, Lee SX, Wong ET, Swanson KD. Tumor treating fields perturb the localization of septins and cause aberrant mitotic exit. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0125269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125269 7. Giladi M, Schneiderman RS, Voloshin T, et al. Mitotic spindle disruption by alternating electric fields leads to improper chromosome segregation and mitotic catastrophe in cancer cells. Sci Rep. 2015;5:1-16. doi:10.1038/srep18046 8. Shams S, Patel CB. Anti-cancer mechanisms of action of therapeutic alternating electric fields (tumor treating fields [TTFields]). J Mol Cell Biol. 2022;14(8):mjac047. doi:10.1093/jmcb/mjac047 9. Voloshin T, Kaynan N, Davidi S, et al. Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) induce immunogenic cell death resulting in enhanced antitumor efficacy when combined with anti-PD-1 therapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2020;69(7):1191-1204. doi:10.1007/s00262-020-02534-7 10. Khagi S, Kotecha R, Gatson NTN, et al. Recent advances in tumor treating fields (TTFields) therapy for glioblastoma. Oncologist. 2025;30(2):oyae227.

 

 

Indication for Use

Optune Pax® is intended for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, concomitant with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

Important Safety Information

Contraindications

Do not use Optune Pax in patients with an electrical implant. Use of Optune Pax together with electrical implants has not been tested and may lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device.

Do not use Optune Pax in patients with a known sensitivity to conductive hydrogels. In patients with this sensitivity, skin contact with the gel used with Optune Pax may commonly cause increased redness and itching. In rare cases, it may lead to severe allergic reactions that can cause a drop in blood pressure and difficulty breathing.

Warnings and Precautions

Optune Pax can only be prescribed by a healthcare provider who has completed the required certification training provided by Novocure® (the device manufacturer).

Do not prescribe Optune Pax for patients who are pregnant, who you think might be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant. Women who are able to get pregnant must use birth control when using the device. Safety and effectiveness of Optune Pax in these populations have not been established.

The most common (≥10%) adverse events involving Optune Pax concomitant with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, fatigue, peripheral edema, pyrexia, pain, COVID-19, infection, respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, hepatic enzyme increased, anorexia, hypokalemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglycemia, musculoskeletal pain, peripheral neuropathy, taste disorder, dizziness, sleep disorder, dyspnea, alopecia, skin-related disorders, and hypotension.

Optune Pax device-related skin adverse events (≥5%) include dermatitis, rash, pruritus, maculo-papular rash, erythema, skin irritation, skin reaction, and skin ulcer. Other device-related adverse effects associated with the use of Optune Pax include overheating of the array, leading to pain and/or local skin burns, allergic reaction to the adhesive or gel from the transducer arrays, and local warmth and tingling sensation beneath the arrays.

If the patient has an underlying skin condition on the abdomen, evaluate whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune Pax treatment.

Please see the Optune Pax Instructions for Use (IFU) for complete information regarding the device’s indication, contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

 

Indication for Use

Optune Pax® is intended for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, concomitant with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

Important Safety Information

Contraindications

Do not use Optune Pax in patients with an electrical implant. Use of Optune Pax together with electrical implants has not been tested and may lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device.

Do not use Optune Pax in patients with a known sensitivity to conductive hydrogels. In patients with this sensitivity, skin contact with the gel used with Optune Pax may commonly cause increased redness and itching. In rare cases, it may lead to severe allergic reactions that can cause a drop in blood pressure and difficulty breathing.

Warnings and Precautions

Optune Pax can only be prescribed by a healthcare provider who has completed the required certification training provided by Novocure® (the device manufacturer).

Do not prescribe Optune Pax for patients who are pregnant, who you think might be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant. Women who are able to get pregnant must use birth control when using the device. Safety and effectiveness of Optune Pax in these populations have not been established.

The most common (≥10%) adverse events involving Optune Pax concomitant with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel were neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, fatigue, peripheral edema, pyrexia, pain, COVID-19, infection, respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, hepatic enzyme increased, anorexia, hypokalemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglycemia, musculoskeletal pain, peripheral neuropathy, taste disorder, dizziness, sleep disorder, dyspnea, alopecia, skin-related disorders, and hypotension.

Optune Pax device-related skin adverse events (≥5%) include dermatitis, rash, pruritus, maculo-papular rash, erythema, skin irritation, skin reaction, and skin ulcer. Other device-related adverse effects associated with the use of Optune Pax include overheating of the array, leading to pain and/or local skin burns, allergic reaction to the adhesive or gel from the transducer arrays, and local warmth and tingling sensation beneath the arrays.

If the patient has an underlying skin condition on the abdomen, evaluate whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune Pax treatment.

Please see the Optune Pax Instructions for Use (IFU) for complete information regarding the device’s indication, contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

 

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US-OPP-00007 v1.0 March 2026