Cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases to treat, especially when malignant cells infiltrate deep into tissue layers where conventional therapies have limited reach. While existing radiation and chemotherapy approaches can damage healthy cells, new strategies are needed to target tumor cells more precisely and reduce side effects. Now, new research has demonstrated that a novel approach using cold plasma can penetrate deep into biological tissue and effectively destroy cancer cells without harming surrounding structures.

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP, Greifswald, Germany), in collaboration with Greifswald University Hospital (Greifswald, Germany) and collaborators, have developed an innovative approach to fight cancer using medically approved cold plasma technology. The method employs ionized gas that generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which are highly active molecules known to influence cell growth and death. The work was carried out using the certified plasma jet kINPen, a device capable of delivering therapeutic plasma safely to tissue surfaces and deeper layers.

The team designed new 3D tissue models made of hydrogels that mimic real tumor structures, allowing precise observation of plasma behavior inside tissue. This enabled them to track how far the reactive molecules penetrate and identify which species contribute most to tumor destruction. Contrary to earlier assumptions, hydrogen peroxide—the molecule previously thought to drive plasma’s anticancer effect—played only a minor role, while short-lived molecules such as peroxynitrite proved most effective, reaching several millimeters into tumor-like tissue.

In another experimental setup, plasma was applied to models simulating surgical wounds with residual tumor cells. The treatment significantly reduced surviving cancer cells, particularly those already invading nearby tissue. These findings, published in Trends in Biotechnology, indicate that plasma therapy could become a valuable complement to surgery by eliminating microscopic tumor remnants and reducing relapse risk.

The researchers suggest that this new understanding of plasma-tissue interactions will enable more precise control of medical plasma devices for specific cancer types. As the technology advances, it could lead to more effective and less invasive cancer treatments, improving recovery and minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissue. The method’s ability to act independently of hydrogen peroxide also opens new directions for optimizing plasma composition in therapeutic applications.

"Our results could significantly improve the medical application of plasma," said Prof. Dr. Sander Bekeschus, head of the Plasma Medicine research program at INP. "The better we understand which molecules are active in the tissue, the more precisely plasma devices can be used for specific types of cancer."

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