Silent forces, hidden currents: the influence of static magnetic field stimulation on tumor biophysics

One of the prime goals of medical oncology is to find cost-effective, non-invasive cancer treatment modalities with negligible side effects. Electroceutical modalities promise to fulfill these criteria, but a precise understanding of their molecular targets is mostly unclear, limiting efficacy. Here, we review static magnetic field (SMF) stimulation for tumor treatment as a possible electroceutical modality. We start by discussing the biophysical principles through which SMFs interact with known biochemical targets and discuss evidence in support of their use for tumor treatment. We analyze the different modes of SMF stimulation and demonstrate that apparent contradictions in reported mechanisms and therapeutic outcomes are primarily due to differences in physiological conditions and biophysical stimulation parameters across studies. Finally, we provide a list of open questions that must be addressed for the success of SMF stimulation as an electroceutical modality.