[Electrochemotherapy for treatment of cutaneous metastases]

Ugeskr Laeger. 2015 Aug 3;177(32):V12140666.
[Article in Danish]

Abstract

Cutaneous metastases occur in up to 9% of all patients with cancer and may cause discomfort and stigmatization. Electrochemotherapy is a local treatment using electric pulses to permeabilize cell membranes, enabling chemotherapy, such as bleomycin, to enter the cells and increase the cytotoxic effect by at least 300-fold. Electrochemotherapy is an efficient, once only treatment for cutaneous metastases with an objective response of 62-99%. Electrochemotherapy can reduce discomfort such as ulceration, oozing, bleeding and pain. Adverse events depend on the size of treatment area, but are very limited.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / adverse effects
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use
  • Bleomycin / adverse effects
  • Bleomycin / therapeutic use
  • Electrochemotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Electrochemotherapy* / methods
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Bleomycin