Entropy production in a cell and reversal of entropy flow as an anticancer therapy
Abstract
The entropy production rate of cancer cells is always higher than healthy cells in the case where no external field is applied. Different entropy production between two kinds of cells determines the direction of entropy flow among cells. The entropy flow is the carrier of information flow. The entropy flow from cancerous cells to healthy cells takes along the harmful information of cancerous cells, propagating its toxic action to healthy tissues. We demonstrate that a low-frequency and lowintensity electromagnetic field or ultrasound irradiation may increase the entropy production rate of a cell in normal tissue than that in cancer and consequently reverse the direction of entropy current between two kinds of cells. The modification of the PH value of cells may also cause the reversal of the direction of entropy flow between healthy and cancerous cells. Therefore, the biological tissue under the irradiation of an electromagnetic field or ultrasound or under the appropriate change of cell acidity can avoid the propagation of harmful information from cancer cells. We suggest that this entropy mechanism possibly provides a basis for a novel approach to anticancer therapy.
- Publication:
-
Frontiers of Physics in China
- Pub Date:
- March 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s11467-009-0007-9
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0802.0048
- Bibcode:
- 2009FrPhC...4..122L
- Keywords:
-
- entropy production;
- information flow;
- cell;
- ultrasound;
- electromagnetic field;
- anticancer therapy;
- 87.50.-a;
- 87.50.Kk;
- 87.50.Rr;
- 87.19.Xx;
- Quantitative Biology - Cell Behavior
- E-Print:
- 24 pages