Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy
Electrochemotherapy is a local ablative therapy used for the treatment of various superficial and deep-seated tumors. Electrochemotherapy involves the application of electric pulses locally to tumors to destabilize cell membranes and facilitate the entry of cytotoxic drugs, thereby enhancing their c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/12/3079 |
| _version_ | 1797595588532895744 |
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| author | Gregor Vivod Masa Bosnjak Nina Kovacevic Gregor Sersa Sebastjan Merlo Maja Cemazar |
| author_facet | Gregor Vivod Masa Bosnjak Nina Kovacevic Gregor Sersa Sebastjan Merlo Maja Cemazar |
| author_sort | Gregor Vivod |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Electrochemotherapy is a local ablative therapy used for the treatment of various superficial and deep-seated tumors. Electrochemotherapy involves the application of electric pulses locally to tumors to destabilize cell membranes and facilitate the entry of cytotoxic drugs, thereby enhancing their cytotoxicity locally. The aim of our study is to investigate the safety and feasibility of electrochemotherapy in patients with vulvar cancer recurrence used for nonpalliative purposes. Ten patients with single local vulvar cancer recurrence were treated with intravenous bleomycin, followed by a local application of electric pulses (electrochemotherapy) to the tumor. Adverse events were determined using the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. The feasibility of treating vulvar cancer with electrochemotherapy was determined by an appropriate selection of electrodes based on the size and location of the tumor with safety margins included. Electrochemotherapy was feasible in all patients. No electrochemotherapy-related or other serious adverse events occurred. Our data suggest that electrochemotherapy is a feasible and safe technique for the treatment of vulvar cancer recurrence for nonpalliative purposes. Based on our results, electrochemotherapy might be a viable therapeutic tool for patients who would otherwise undergo surgery involving a mutilation of the external genitalia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:39:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ce992a201a347be8a864cc12998ad86 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:39:38Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ce992a201a347be8a864cc12998ad862023-11-18T09:40:23ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942023-06-011512307910.3390/cancers15123079Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with ElectrochemotherapyGregor Vivod0Masa Bosnjak1Nina Kovacevic2Gregor Sersa3Sebastjan Merlo4Maja Cemazar5Department of Gynecological Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Gynecological Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Gynecological Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaDepartment of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaElectrochemotherapy is a local ablative therapy used for the treatment of various superficial and deep-seated tumors. Electrochemotherapy involves the application of electric pulses locally to tumors to destabilize cell membranes and facilitate the entry of cytotoxic drugs, thereby enhancing their cytotoxicity locally. The aim of our study is to investigate the safety and feasibility of electrochemotherapy in patients with vulvar cancer recurrence used for nonpalliative purposes. Ten patients with single local vulvar cancer recurrence were treated with intravenous bleomycin, followed by a local application of electric pulses (electrochemotherapy) to the tumor. Adverse events were determined using the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. The feasibility of treating vulvar cancer with electrochemotherapy was determined by an appropriate selection of electrodes based on the size and location of the tumor with safety margins included. Electrochemotherapy was feasible in all patients. No electrochemotherapy-related or other serious adverse events occurred. Our data suggest that electrochemotherapy is a feasible and safe technique for the treatment of vulvar cancer recurrence for nonpalliative purposes. Based on our results, electrochemotherapy might be a viable therapeutic tool for patients who would otherwise undergo surgery involving a mutilation of the external genitalia.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/12/3079electroporationvulvar cancersafetyfeasibilityelectrochemotherapybleomycin |
| spellingShingle | Gregor Vivod Masa Bosnjak Nina Kovacevic Gregor Sersa Sebastjan Merlo Maja Cemazar Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy Cancers electroporation vulvar cancer safety feasibility electrochemotherapy bleomycin |
| title | Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy |
| title_full | Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy |
| title_fullStr | Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy |
| title_short | Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy |
| title_sort | safety and feasibility of vulvar cancer treatment with electrochemotherapy |
| topic | electroporation vulvar cancer safety feasibility electrochemotherapy bleomycin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/12/3079 |
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