PULSE-MEDIATED CHEMOTHERAPY OF SOLID TUMORS (ELECTROCHEMOTHERAPY): RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF A NOVEL ANTICANCER THERAPY

摘要

Chemotherapy drugs are effective provided that they reach their site of action. The primary obstacle for chemotherapy agents is the cytoplasmic membrane, especially for lipophobic agents such as bleomycin. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) couples the administration of an anticancer agent (usually bleomycin or cisplatin), to the delivery of electric pulses having appropriate waveforms. The application of permeabilizing pulses leads to perturbation of the cell membrane, thus resulting in increased uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs, ultimately leading to cell apoptotic death. Clinical trials evaluating humans treated with ECT for cutaneous neoplasms were first reported in the early 90s, and have been followed by many trials that confirm its potential for the treatment or palliation of dermatological rumors. Recently, a standard operating procedure has been proposed.