Efficiency of electrochemotherapy with reduced bleomycin dose in the treatment of nonmelanoma head and neck skin cancer: Preliminary results

Abstract

Background: In the present study, effectiveness of electrochemotherapy was compared in patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) of the head and neck using standard and reduced doses of bleomycin.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients older than 65 years were prospectively treated with electrochemotherapy for nonmelanoma head and neck skin cancer. In the experimental group (n = 12 patients; 24 lesions), reduced bleomycin doses (10 000 IU/m² ) were used. In the control group (n = 16 patients; 28 lesions), the standard bleomycin doses (15 000 IU/m² ) were used. Tumor responses and side effects were monitored. These two groups were pair matched for the characteristics of patients (age, gender) and their tumors (diameter, histology type, recurrent lesions).

Results: Complete tumor response at 2 months post-electrochemotherapy with the reduced bleomycin dose was 100% and with the standard bleomycin dose it was 96%. No statistically significant difference regarding skin toxicity was observed between the 2 groups (P = .20). Skin toxicity of grade 3 or less was recorded only in the control group (7% of treated lesions).

Conclusion: Presented results show the comparable antitumor effectiveness of electrochemotherapy when using standard or reduced bleomycin dose in elderly patients with nonmelanoma head and neck skin cancer.

Keywords: basal cell carcinoma; bleomycin; electrochemotherapy; head and neck; squamous cell carcinoma.