Successful treatment of multiple basaliomas with bleomycin-based electrochemotherapy: a case series of three patients with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome

Acta Derm Venereol. 2012 Nov;92(6):648-51. doi: 10.2340/00015555-1361.

Abstract

Gorlin-Goltz syndrome is a rare multisystemic disease, characterized by numerous basal cell carcinomas. The ideal approach for patients with the syndrome would be a treatment with a high cure rate, minimal scarring, short healing time and mild side-effects. Electrochemo-therapy is a novel therapeutic option that ablates tumours with electrical current and simultaneously administered anticancer drugs. Three patients with Gorlin-Goltz syndrome were treated with electrochemotherapy using intravenous bleomycin. Clinical response was obtained in 98 (99%) of the lesions, 86 (87%) of them showed complete response. In 2 tumours, regression was confirmed with histological examination. Long-term cosmetic results were excellent. We consider electrochemotherapy to be an additional tool in the therapeutic armamentarium for Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, and suggest using it as early as possible in selected patients to avoid disfiguring scarring.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage*
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / adverse effects
  • Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome / pathology
  • Biopsy
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage*
  • Bleomycin / adverse effects
  • Cicatrix / etiology
  • Electrochemotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Bleomycin