BLEOMYCIN-MEDIATED ELECTROCHEMOTHERAPY OF BASAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Background: A new technique, electroporation, enhances the antitumor e ffects of a variety of chemotherapeutic agents, When used in combinati on with conventional chemotherapy, the procedure is termed electrochem otherapy. Exposure of cancerous tissues to pulses of electricity durin g electrochemotherapy appears to increase cell membrane permeability a nd thus intracellular access to cytotoxic drugs. Electrochemotherapy h as been shown to have potent antitumor activity in a variety of in vit ro studies, animal tumor models, as well as in clinical trials with sq uamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of bleomycin-mediated electroc hemotherapy on several basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in two patients wi th nevoid BCC syndrome. Methods: Electrical pulses were delivered to t umor nodules by means of caliper electrodes after systemic doses of bl eomycin were administered, Vital signs were closely monitored during a pplication of the electrical pulses. Results: Partial responses were o bserved in tumors from both of the patients treated with electrochemot herapy; three partial responses were observed in one patient, and one partial response was observed in the other patient. Complete responses were seen in two lesions. Only minimal local or systemic side effects were noted in response to the therapy. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study that documents the effects of bleomycin-mediat ed electrochemotherapy on BCC. Studies are ongoing with intralesional bleomycin during electrochemotherapy to see whether additional antitum or effects can be produced in patients with BCC by this route of admin istration.