Vascular Disrupting Action of Electrochemotherapy

摘要

Electrochemotherapy has besides a direct cyto-toxic effect on tumor cells also vascular disrupting effect. Application of electric pulses to the tumor induces transitory, but profound reduction in tumor perfusion and oxygenation of tumors. When bleomycin or cisplatin are present at the time of tissue electroporation, endothelial cells in tumor blood vessels are also affected, leading to their apoptotic death. As a consequence, blood flow in the treated tumor is abrogated, leading to extensive tumor cell necrosis and complete regression of the tumors. Therefore, electrochemotherapy can be beneficially used in treatment of bleeding metastases, as demonstrated in several reported cases.