Cold plasma against cancer

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP) have collaborated with partners at Greifswald University Hospital and University Medical Centre Rostock to demonstrate that cold plasma can effectively combat tumour cells even in deeper tissue layers. What is particularly noteworthy is that, by developing new tissue models, they were able to precisely investigate the effect of individual plasma components on tumour cells for the first time.

What is cold plasma?

Plasma is an ionised gas that produces a large number of chemically reactive molecules known as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. These short-lived molecules can have a strong influence on biological processes such as the growth or death of tumour cells.

New tissue models provide important insights

"The effect of plasma in tissue is very complex and little understood. We have therefore developed a 3D model made of hydrogels that mimics real tumour tissue. In this model, we were able to observe exactly how deep the molecules from the plasma penetrate – and which of these molecules are important for the effect on tumour cells," explains Lea Miebach, first author of the study. Particularly short-lived molecules such as peroxynitrite penetrated several millimetres deep into the tissue. Hydrogen peroxide, which had previously been considered the main active ingredient in laboratory research, showed little effect: even when it was specifically removed, the effect of the plasma remained strong.

Use during surgery also conceivable

Another model investigated how well plasma could work in the follow-up treatment of tumour surgery. Residual tumour cells at the edge of an artificial surgical wound were specifically treated with plasma. The result: here too, a strong effect was observed, especially in cells that had already spread into the surrounding tissue. These findings could help to better prevent relapses after surgery.

Important step for plasma medicine

"Our results could significantly improve the medical application of plasma," says Prof. Dr. Sander Bekeschus, head of the Plasma Medicine research programme 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."

The work was carried out using the medically approved plasma jet "kINPen". In the long term, the method could help make therapies more effective and gentler.

Original publication

Lea Miebach, Marten Hagge, Alice Martinet, Debora Singer, Nadine Gelbrich, Stephan Kersting, Sander Bekeschus, "Gas plasma technology mediates deep tissue and anticancer events independently of hydrogen peroxide",  Trends in Biotechnology, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.07.004

Further information and contact 

Press release - Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP)