Electrochemotherapy As Treatment Option for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, a Prospective Pilot Study
Overview
Oncology
Authors
Affiliations
Background And Objectives: Electrochemotherapy provides non-thermal ablation of cutaneous as well as deep seated tumors. Based on positive results of the treatment of colorectal liver metastases, we conducted a prospective pilot study on hepatocellular carcinomas with the aim of testing the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of electrochemotherapy.
Patients And Methods: Electrochemotherapy with bleomycin was performed on 17 hepatocellular carcinomas in 10 patients using a previously established protocol. The procedure was performed during open surgery and the patients were followed for median 20.5 months.
Results: Electrochemotherapy was feasible for all 17 lesions, and no treatment-related adverse events or major post-operative complications were observed. The median size of the treated lesions was 24 mm (range 8-41 mm), located either centrally, i.e., near the major hepatic vessels, or peripherally. The complete response rate at 3-6 months was 80% per patient and 88% per treated lesion.
Conclusions: Electrochemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma proved to be a feasible and safe treatment in all 10 patients included in this study. To evaluate the effectiveness of this method, longer observation period is needed; however the results at medium observation time of 20.5 months after treatment are encouraging, in 15 out of 17 lesions complete response was obtained. Electrochemotherapy is predominantly applicable in patients with impaired liver function due to liver cirrhosis and/or with lesions where a high-risk operation is needed to achieve curative intent, given the intra/perioperative risk for high morbidity and mortality.
Wilke T, Hussain E, Spallek H, Terlizzi F, Mir L, Bischoff P Radiol Oncol. 2025; 59(1):100-109.
PMID: 40014781 PMC: 11867569. DOI: 10.2478/raon-2025-0017.
Luerken L, Goetz A, Mayr V, Zhang L, Schlitt A, Haimerl M Biomedicines. 2025; 12(12.
PMID: 39767776 PMC: 11673152. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12122870.
Electrochemotherapy combined with immunotherapy - a promising potential in the treatment of cancer.
Hadzialjevic B, Omerzel M, Trotovsek B, Cemazar M, Jesenko T, Sersa G Front Immunol. 2024; 14:1336866.
PMID: 38292489 PMC: 10825954. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1336866.
Rangel M, Linhares L, de Oliveira K, Suzuki D, Maglietti F, De Nardi A Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):21078.
PMID: 38030630 PMC: 10687251. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45433-4.
Martin C, Martin R Bioengineering (Basel). 2023; 10(8).
PMID: 37627860 PMC: 10451240. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10080975.