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Electrochemotherapy
What is electrochemotherapy? Electrochemotherapy is a new treatment available to patients presenting with cancer. This technique combines treatment of cancer lesions with an anti cancer drug, followed by introducing a small electric field to the lesion. The electric field lasts only for less than a second and causes the pores in the cancer membrane to open during this time. This allows more of the anti cancer drug to enter the cancer cells with a dramatic increase in effectiveness of treatment. Electrochemotherapy treatment utilises a technique where tumour tissue is exposed to intralesional or intravenous Bleomycin, followed by application of an electric field to the tumour tissue by a hand held electrode. Electrochemotherapy is, in many cases, a one-off treatment with no further treatment necessary What type of cancer lesions can be treated? Electrochemotherapy has been successfully used in treatment of metastatic cancer (seedling) nodules within and below the skin surface. Electrochemotherapy can be considered as a palliative (non curative) option in cancers where surgery or radio/chemotherapy treatment is not a possibility. How is the treatment performed? The treatment is performed as a day case procedure and it is not necessary to stay on in the hospital after the treatment. In most cases a local anaesthetic is injected into the cancer lesion before treatment, or less commonly a short general anaesthetic is needed. The cancer drug is then either directly injected into the cancer lesion or given as a drip. This is followed by applying a small electric current to the cancer cells. This is done by inserting a handheld electrode with a plate or needles at the end into the tissue. The electric pulse that is delivered lasts for only a few seconds. You would not need any special dressings, and will usually be seen 3 to 4 weeks after the treatment. Is this an experimental treatment? The technique of Electrochemotherapy has been extensively studied with published results in 297 patients in which 1292 cancer lesions were treated. The studies include a multi-centre trial that has been performed between five hospitals in Europe and America. James Cook University Hospital was the first major site in the UK where Electrochemotherapy was provided to patients under strict guidance and monitoring; following the published treatment guidelines from the large multi-centre trial. The studies performed have all shown that this is an effective treatment in many patients. Between 79% and 85% of patients benefit from the treatment, and in about 2/3 of patients the cancer nodule disappears altogether. These results were obtained after a single treatment in most cases. What are the risks and discomforts? Minimal complications were reported, with mild pain or discomfort, never to the extent that a patient would not have a repeat treatment and short lasting muscle contractions during the pulse application. What are the treatment benefits? Electrochemotherapy provides an effective option in managing seedling cancer lesions without the scars and risks of surgery or of radiotherapy. It has been found to be especially helpful in bleeding or painful lesions. A treatment session usually lasts for only half an hour at a time. To read an overview of the different kinds of treatment available for skin cancer and how electrochemotherapy as a new technology can be used to treat skin cancer instead of some of the more invasive methods of treatment. Please click here |