[Electrochemotherapy for treatment of cutaneous metastases]

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.