# Cancer Treatment: An Overview of Pulsed Electric Field Utilization and Generation
## 12 Conclusions  
Although PEF is utilized in several industrial, military, and medical applications, the prime focus of this paper is to shed light on cancer treatment using PEF and the potential electropoators available for successful treatment. A biological cell can be modelled using FEM or electrical equivalent circuit models. Normally, FEM-based models are adopted for treatment planning and electric field distribution inside tissues, while electrical equivalent circuits are adopted for studying and investigating the performance of electropoators. The duration, amplitude, rise time, and polarity of the voltage pulse affect the behaviour and type of the formed pores. Ultrashort pulses affect the membrane of the organelle directly, while long pulses affect the cell membrane. Synergetic and bipolar pulses have proven more important in specific cases to enhance the treatment process and reduce side effects. Delivering the voltage pulses requires electrodes, which can come in a variety of shapes, namely, plate, needle, clamp, and catheter types. Each electrode can be utilized to deliver the voltage pulses to a specific biological cell; catheter-type electrodes may be preferred when delivering in-body voltage pulses. Generating PEF requires a voltage pulse generator. Pulse generators (or electroporators) are categorized into two main categories, namely, classical and solid-state-based. Marx-type, pulse forming network, and Blumlein are considered the classical electropoators; they feature limited capabilities and require hardware modification to change pulse parameters. On the other hand, capacitive storage-based and power electronics-based electropoators seem to have more potential in PEF applications over the inductive energy stage types. Amongs the features they can offer are flexibility and controllability in voltage pulse generation and hardware modularity and redundancy, along with smaller footprint and greater compactness. This paper aims to bridge the knowledge gap between two distinctive fields, namely, cancer therapy and electrical engineering. By introducing the necessary knowledge for non-specialized researchers in both fields, we hope that this review can provide a better understanding, thereby fostering innovative multidisciplinary cancer treatment solutions.  
Conceptualization, M.A.A. and M.A.E.; analysis, M.A.A.; investigation, M.A.E., A.A.A. and M.T.S.W.; methodology, M.A.A., M.A.E. and A.A.A.; supervision, M.A.E., A.A.A. and M.T.S.W.; writing--review and editing, M.A.A. and M.A.E. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
Not applicable.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l l l l} \hline \hline
**Feature** & **Classical** & **Inductive** & **Non-Modular** & **Modular** & **Hybrid** \\ \hline Supply voltage & LV/HV & LV & LV & HV & LV/HV \\ Pulse shape & exponential & flexible & square/flexible & flexible & flexible \\ Pulse polarity & uni/pipolar & uni/pipolar & uni/pipolar & uni/pipolar & uni/pipolar \\ Modularity & non-modular & modular & non-modular & modular & semi-modular \\ Control & NA & complicated & simple & complicated & complicated \\ Footprint & moderate/large & large & moderate & high & high \\ Sensors & NA & required & required & required \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 6: Comparison between different pulse generator categories.