Electrochemotherapy: A New Technological Approach in Treatment of Metastases in the Liver

Electrochemotherapy is now in development for treatment of deep-seated tumors, like in bones and internal organs, such as liver. The technology is available with a newly developed electric pulse generator and long needle electrodes; however the procedures for the treatment are not standardized yet....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Technology in cancer research & treatment 2011-10, Vol.10 (5), p.475-485
Main Authors: Edhemovic, I., Gadzijev, E. M., Brecelj, E., Miklavcic, D., Kos, B., Zupanic, A., Mali, B., Jarm, T., Pavliha, D., Marcan, M., Gasljevic, G., Gorjup, V., Music, M., Vavpotic, T. Pecnik, Cemazar, M., Snoj, M., Sersa, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - administration & dosage
Antineoplastic agents
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use
Bevacizumab
Biological and medical sciences
Bleomycin - administration & dosage
Bleomycin - therapeutic use
Carcinoma - drug therapy
Carcinoma - secondary
Carcinoma - surgery
Chemotherapy
Combined Modality Therapy
Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage
Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives
Electrochemotherapy
Feasibility Studies
Female
Fluorouracil - administration & dosage
Fluorouracil - analogs & derivatives
Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen
Humans
Liver - pathology
Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy
Liver Neoplasms - secondary
Liver Neoplasms - surgery
Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Necrosis
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Sigmoid Neoplasms - pathology
Sigmoid Neoplasms - therapy
Treatment Outcome
Tumors
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Summary:Electrochemotherapy is now in development for treatment of deep-seated tumors, like in bones and internal organs, such as liver. The technology is available with a newly developed electric pulse generator and long needle electrodes; however the procedures for the treatment are not standardized yet. In order to describe the treatment procedure, including treatment planning, within the ongoing clinical study, a case of successful treatment of a solitary metastasis in the liver of colorectal cancer is presented. The procedure was performed intraoperatively by inserting long needle electrodes, two in the center of the tumor and four around the tumor into the normal tissue. The insertion of electrodes proved to be feasible and was done according to the treatment plan, prepared by numerical modeling. After intravenous bolus injection of bleomycin the tumor was exposed to electric pulses. The delivery of the electric pulses did not interfere with functioning of the heart, since the pulses were synchronized with electrocardiogram in order to be delivered outside the vulnerable period of the ventricles. Also the post treatment period was uneventful without side effects. Re-operation of the treated metastasis demonstrated feasibility of the reoperation, without secondary effects of electrochemotherapy on normal tissue. Good antitumor effectiveness with complete tumor destruction was confirmed with histological analysis. The patient is disease-free 16 months after the procedure. In conclusion, treatment procedure for electrochemotherapy proved to be a feasible technological approach for treatment of liver metastasis. Due to the absence of the side effects and the first complete destruction of the treated tumor, treatment procedure for electrochemotherapy seems to be a safe method for treatment of liver metastases with good treatment effectiveness even in difficult-to-reach locations.
ISSN:1533-0346
1533-0338
DOI:10.7785/tcrt.2012.500224