New Modality for Electrochemotherapy of Surface Tumors

Abstract

ABSTRACTElectrochemotherapy is based on electroporation, which creates aqueous pathways in the cell membrane as a result of applied short intensive electric field usually generated by high voltage electrical pulses. The phenomenon enhances the simultaneous administration of cytotoxic drugs. Recently, several researchers forewarn of some adverse effects that could occur with electrochemotherapy of tumors located close to the heart.We developed equipment Chemipulse III, consisting of portable low-cost electroporator, QRS synchronizer and module for long-term recording of pulse parameters. It is designed for data collection of the pulse parameters and the impedances of treated patients with surface tumors without risk of heart complications but with enhanced means for electrical safety of both patient and physician. The new instrument is with battery supply, enhanced protection against electrical hazards both for the patient and the physician, autonomy providing for more than 200 shocks with one battery charging. The data could be used to support the optimization of the voltage shock setting and the evaluation of the procedure effectiveness.The results obtained show high efficiency of the improved approach (new modality) for electrochemotherapy.Thirty-seven patients with a total of 47 lesions of Ca basocellulare, Ca spinocellulare and Kaposi Sarcoma were treated with electrochemotherapy using intralesional application of bleomycin and new developed equipment Chemipulse III. The electrotreatment was done by 16 biphasic rectangular pulses, 50+50 μs duration each, with a 20 μs interval between both phases and a pause of 880 μs between the bipolar pulses. The equipment with QRS synchronizer is mandatory in cases of electrochemotherapy of patients with pacemakers and patients with heart problems. Erythema and slight edema at the site of the treated lesions occurred in most of the patients and disappeared in a few days, one week at most.