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This research investigates the combined effects of Tumor-Treating Fields (TTF) with cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon oil on cell death and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

April 5, 2026

Abstract 7198: Synergistic effects of next-generation Tumor-Treating Fields technology and cinnamaldehyde/cinnamon oil on apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and growth suppression in triple-negative breast cancer cells

Key Points

This research investigates the combined effects of Tumor-Treating Fields (TTF) with cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon oil on cell death and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells treated with cinnamaldehyde or cinnamon oil alongside frequency-modulated TTF.
Apoptosis and cell cycle analyses via flow cytometry and CyQUANT assay.
Synergy evaluation using Bliss independence and Highest Single Agent models.
Combined treatments showed over 96% cell death with TTF and cinnamon products, exceeding single agents.
TTF combined with cinnamon oil provided greater synergy in apoptosis than with cinnamaldehyde.
TTF treatment induced significant G2/M cell cycle arrest, while cinnamon compounds caused S-phase accumulation, indicating distinct mechanisms.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer, accounts for 10-20% of breast cancers. Tumor-Treating Fields (TTF), disrupt mitotic spindle formation and induce apoptosis in TNBC cells. Cinnamaldehyde (CA), the active component of cinnamon, inhibits TNBC proliferation and promotes apoptosis. This study evaluated whether CA or cinnamon oil (CO) acts in synergy with TTF to enhance growth suppression, apoptosis, and cell-cycle arrest in TNBC cells. Methods: MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells were seeded at 75,000 cells/mL and treated with CA (150 µM), CO (1:300 dilution), or vehicle controls. Frequency-modulated TTF (FM-TTFields) were applied continuously for 72 hours at 150 kHz (±10 kHz modulation using an 8.3 mHz triangle wave), 1.2 VRMS/cm. Cell proliferation was assessed by CyQUANT assay and Celigo imaging; apoptosis and cell-cycle distribution were analyzed by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry. Synergy was quantified using Bliss independence and Highest Single Agent (HSA) models. Results: Cell death synergy: Cell death from combined treatments TTF+CA (96.7%) and TTF+CO (96.3%) exceeded single agents CA (93.6%), CO (86.1%), and TTF (40.0%). Synergy analysis by HSA and Bliss models confirmed synergy, stronger for TTF+CO (HSA Δ = +10.3 ± 2.5 points (pts), p = 0.02; Bliss Δ = +4.7 ± 1.7 pts, p = 0.042) than TTF+CA (HSA Δ = +3.2 ± 1.4 pts, p = 0.06; Bliss Δ = +0.9 ± 1.0 pt, p = 0.27). Combining TTF with CA or CO yields synergistic benefits, with TTF+CO showing the greatest effect. Apoptosis synergy (Annexin V/PI): TTF+CO (49.9%) and TTF+CA (65.5%) greatly surpassed CA (20.6%), CO (13.9%), and TTF (1.4%). Combinations increased apoptosis ∼36-fold (TTF+CO) and ∼48-fold (TTF+CD). Synergy was highest for TTF+CA (HSA Δ = +44.3 pts; Bliss Δ = +43.2 pts) versus TTF+CO (HSA Δ = +35.1 pts; Bliss Δ = +33.9 pts). Combining TTF with CA or CO substantially enhances apoptosis, with TTF+CA most effective. Cell-cycle modulation: CA and CO enriched the S phase relative to DMSO (Δ%: CO +10 pts; CA +8 pts). TTF induced strong G2/M accumulation (+18 pts). Combining TTF with CO further increased G2/M (+12 pts) with minimal S-phase change (+1 pt), while CA+TTF produced only a small G2/M shift (+2 pts). These patterns suggest mechanistic complementarity: CA and CO primarily arrest cells in the S phase, whereas TTF induce mitotic arrest (M phase). Conclusions: Combining FM-TTFields with cinnamon oil or cinnamaldehyde enhances TNBC cell death and apoptosis through complementary mechanisms—S-phase arrest and mitotic disruption—resulting in significant synergy for FM-TTFields combined with cinnamon oil or cinnamaldehyde. These findings support a novel, combinatorial strategy for treating TNBC. Future studies should validate these results in vivo and explore clinical translation. Citation Format: Saqib N. Peracha, Joseph M. Rohde, Margaux A. Santos, Emma C. Higgins, Lexa M. Campbell, Wageesha T. Mallehevidana, Juliana R. Seide, Aidan Hollister, Therese M. Annulis, Abdu Mohammed, Kiran Khurshid, Noor U. Huda, Aaron P. Provenzano, Jason R. Henderson, Daniel Kuebler, Joseph A. Pathakamuri, John J. O'Connell. Synergistic effects of next-generation Tumor-Treating Fields technology and cinnamaldehyde/cinnamon oil on apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and growth suppression in triple-negative breast cancer cells abstract. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(7 Suppl):Abstract nr 7198.

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