Rapid tumor necrosis induced by electrochemotherapy with intratumoral injection of bleomycin in a hamster tongue cancer model

This study evaluated the effects of electrochemotherapy (ECT) with intratum oral injection of bleomycin (BLM) on the chemically induced tongue cancer m odel in the hamster. Intratumoral injection of BLM followed by high-voltage electrical treatment induced rapid necrosis of the tumor within 48 hours a nd subsequent rapid tumor volume reduction. Three weeks after the ECT with BLM, 3 of the 6 animals showed no palpable tumor, while no antitumor effect s were observed in the control groups. Because of the remarkable antitumor effect with no major observed side effects, we concluded that ECT combined with intratumoral injection of BLM has the potential to enhance treatment r esults for tongue cancer.