Electrochemotherapy treatment of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer

• Published in: The American surgeon Vol. 81; no. 5; pp. E222 - 225
• Main Authors: Mercantini, Paolo, Lorenzon, Laura, Tarantino, Giulia, Balducci, Genoveffa, Ferri, Mario, Mazzuca, Federica, Botticelli, Andrea, Marchetti, Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Aged; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer therapies; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - secondary; Electrochemotherapy - instrumentation; Electroconvulsive therapy; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Skin Neoplasms - drug therapy; Skin Neoplasms - secondary; Studies; Tumors
• ISSN: 0003-1348; 1555-9823
• DOI: 10.1177/000313481508100514

The physical basis of the technique is related to the electroporation, which transiently permeabilizes tumor cell membranes, enabling the diffusion of a chemotherapeutic drug into the cells, increasing its cytotoxicity.1 ECT has been originally used for the treatment of metastatic head and neck cancer, but it has been currently proposed as a novel and complementary strategy for the local treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors, including cutaneous metastases from breast carcinomas.2 Skin metastases from breast cancer are relatively common; moreover, it has been reported that breast cancer accounts for 51 per cent of the total cases of cutaneous metastases.3 Benevento et al.3 and Campagna et al.4 recently reported their experience regarding the use of ECT for the treatment of cutaneous mestastases in two series of breast cancer patients, providing promising results.