Intraoperative electrochemotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer: Results and impact on quality of life. a single center experience

• Published in: Journal of clinical oncology Vol. 38; no. 15_suppl; p. e16731
• Main Authors: Di Marco, Mariacristina, Ricci, Claudio, Carloni, Riccardo, Grassi, Elisa, De Lorenzo, Stefania, Palloni, Andrea, Abbati, Francesca, Andrini, Elisa, Di Federico, Alessandro, Ricci, Angela Dalia, Ingaldi, Carlo, Serra, Carla, Alberici, Laura, De Raffele, Emilio, Guido, Alessandra, Minni, Francesco, Rizzo, Alessandro, Brandi, Giovanni, Pantaleo, Maria A., Casadei, Riccardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 20.05.2020
• ISSN: 0732-183X; 1527-7755
• DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.e16731

Abstract only e16731 Background: Locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is usually treated with chemoradiotherapy with poor results, thus additional therapies have been proposed. Of the latter, electrochemotherapy (ECT) represents a non-thermal ablation method, which combines the administration of chemotherapeutic drugs with permeabilizing electric pulses for cell membrane electroporation. The present study is the first to assess the short and long-term results, and the quality of life of the patients who underwent ECT for LAPC. Methods: Observational study of patients affected by LAPC who underwent intraoperative ECT after chemoradiotherapy. The inclusion criteria were: 1- patients with LAPC (defined according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network 2019), 2- previous chemoradiotherapy and 3- absence of disease progression at restaging. Data at diagnosis and at restaging were collected for each patient. The Quality of life was evaluated using the Euro Quality of Life Group Association Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). The questionnaire was administered to all patients before and after ECT. Results: From May 25, 2018 to November 26, 2019 five patients underwent ECT: in 4 cases, the tumors were located in the head and, in one, in the body of the pancreas. Preoperative chemotherapy consisted mainly of 6 cycles of modified folfirinox, while the radiotherapy consisted of 54 Gy (27 fractions). At restaging, the serum value of CA 19-9 and tumor size were reduced; however, the vascular involvement did not change. No downstaging was recorded. Intravenous bleomycin 15,000IU/m2 was given as a bolus, the ECT procedure was performed using at least 4 needles with a mean duration time of 27 minutes, (range 15-40). No postoperative mortality or major complications were reported. The mean length of stay was 8 days (range 5-14). Four patients were alive and well at the end of the study while one patient died from disease progression. The mean follow-up was 20.8 months (range 9-34) from diagnosis and 9.4 months (range 2-19) from ECT. The quality of life was good (EQ-5D-5L scale > 50 in all cases) and there was improvement in pain/discomfort with respect to the pre-treatment period in 3 out of 5 patients. Conclusions: Electrochemotherapy can be considered a simple, feasible and safe palliative additional treatment in LAPC without progression after chemoradiotherapy, and it seems to allow a good quality of life and pain improvement.