Electrochemotherapy of cutaneous metastases in malignant melanoma

Electrochemotherapy is a new anticancer therapy in which transient permeabi lization of cells by an electric field induces a significant increase in th e bleomycin concentration and toxicity in tumour cells. We report a clinica l study of electrochemotherapy in malignant melanoma. The main issues addre ssed were the effect of the size of the nodules, the optimization of the el ectrical parameters, and posttreatment clinical observations. Four patients were enrolled in the study. They received a 10 mg/m(2) dose of bleomycin a dministered intravenously, followed by short, intense electric pulses appli ed directly to the skin at the tumour sites, Antitumour effects were obtain ed, especially in the smallest nodules. Objective responses were obtained i n more than 90% of the 55 nodules treated, with a complete response rate of 9%. All patients tolerated the treatment well. No residual effects from th e electric pulses were observed, even when a high number of pulses were req uired or when two consecutive treatments were applied. These results are en couraging and the study should be continued. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.