Electrical pulses have been widely used in biomedical fields, whose applications depend on the parameters such as durations and electric intensity. Conventional electroporation (0.1-1 kV/cm, 100 mu s) has been used in cell fusion, transfection and electrochemotherapy. Recent studies with high-intensity (MV/cm) electric field applications with durations of several tens of nanoseconds can affect intracellular of signal transduction and intracellular structures wit h plasma intact, resulting in an application of intracellular manipulation. The most recent development is the finding that parameters between those two ranges could be used to induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Proposal of apoptosis induction and tumor inhibition has advantages to pursue the treatment of cancer free of cytotoxic drugs. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.