Microwave cytotoxicity: lack of in vitro evidence of nonthermal effects at high power levels

A unique cylindrical microwave cavity chamber for the exposure of mammalian cells was designed and built. The cavity was used to determine whether or not microwaves (896 or 434-460 MHz) are capable of affecting cellular survival via nonthermal mechanisms other than those resulting from equivalent thermal exposures. Chinese hamster ovary (HA-1) cells or radiation-induced fibrosarcoma (RIF) mouse cells were grown directly on gold-plated copper disks to assure optimum heat dissipation and accurate thermal dosimetry. The temperature was controlled precisely (+/-0.1/sup o/C and was measured continuously during microwave exposures. Microwave power levels of 135 W/cm3 of absorbed power maintained for 30 min caused no discernible decrease in cellular survival of proliferating cells compared to that measured in appropriate heat controls over a temperature range of 12 to 46/sup o/C. In addition, RIF mouse cells were exposed similarly in Hanks' balanaced salt solution (HBSS). Again, no additional decrease in survival beyond that due to heating was observed for microwave exposure in full medium; however, a significant decrease in survival was noted when cells were treated in HBSS which was at pH 6.9-7.2. This phenomenon may have implications in tumors with significant portions of the population at low pH or with low nutrient concentrations. Since these absorbed power levels are at least two orders of magnitude greater than those that will be necessary to hear and maintain tumors at hyperthermic treatment temperatures for cancer therapy, these results suggest that cellular destruction in proliferating cells can be predicted by the heat effect and that any microwave-specific nonthermal effects encountered in vivo will likely be due to problems of thermal dosimetry of physiological factors related to this mode of heat distribution