Long term response of electrochemotherapy with reduced dose of bleomycin in elderly patients with head and neck non-melanoma skin cancer

. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a local cancer treatment based on electroporation where the electric field is used to enhance cell membrane permeability and thereby facilitating the transition of chemotherapeutic agents into the cell. For the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer, a standard dosage of 15,000 IU/m2 bleomycin (BLM) is used. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term ECT response in the group of elderly patients with non-melanoma skin cancer treated with a reduced dose of BLM in comparison to the outcome in the patients treated with the standard dose of BLM. Patients and methods. Twenty-eight patients older than 65 years, with a total of 52 non-melanoma skin lesions were included in the study. Twelve patients (24 lesions) in the experimental group received a reduced dose of BLM (10,000 IU/m2), 16 patients (28 lesions) were treated with a standard dose of BLM (15,000 IU/m2). Results. No statistically significant difference in tumor control was observed between both groups. In the experimental group, tumors recurred in 39.0% of treated lesions in a median follow-up time of 28 months. In the control group, the recurrence rate of treated lesions was 15.4% in a median follow-up time of 40 months. Conclusions. ECT with a reduced dose of BLM is a feasible treatment option for elderly patients with equal efficacy to standard dose treatment and should be considered as a treatment modality in advanced aged patients with comorbidities, where overall life expectancy is poo

The importance of flaps in reconstruction of locoregionally advanced lateral skull-base cancer defects

Background. The aim of the study was to identify the value of extensive resection and reconstruction with flaps in the treatment of locoregionally advanced lateral skull-base cancer.Patients and methods. The retrospective case review of patients with lateral skull-base cancer treated surgically with curative intent between 2011 and 2019 at a tertiary otorhinolaryngology referral centre was made. Results. Twelve patients with locoregionally advanced cancer were analysed. Lateral temporal bone resection was performed in nine (75.0%), partial parotidectomy in six (50.0%), total parotidectomy in one (8.3%), ipsilateral selective neck dissection in eight (66.7%) and ipsilateral modified radical neck dissection in one patient (8.3%). The defect was reconstructed with anterolateral thigh free flap, radial forearm free flap or pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in two patients (17.0%) each. Mean overall survival was 3.1 years (SD = 2.5) and cancer-free survival rate 100%. At the data collection cut-off, 83% of analysed patients and 100% of patients with flap reconstruction were alive. Conclusions. Favourable local control in lateral skull-base cancer, which mainly involves temporal bone is achieved with an extensive locoregional resection followed by free or regional flap reconstruction. Universal cancer registry should be considered in centres treating this rare disease to alleviate analysis and multicentric research

Treatment of skin tumors with intratumoral interleukin 12 gene electrotransfer in the head and neck region

Immune therapies are currently under intensive investigation providing in many cases excellent re-sponses in different tumors. Other possible approach for immunotherapy is a targeted intratumoral delivery of inter-leukin 12 (IL-12), a cytokine with anti-tumor effectiveness. Due to its immunomodulatory action, it can be used as an imunostimulating component to in situ vaccinating effect of local ablative therapies. We have developed a phIL12 plasmid devoid of antibiotic resistance marker with a transgene for human IL-12 p70 protein. The plasmid can be delivered intratumorally by gene electrotransfer (GET). Patients and methods. Here we present a first-in-human clinical trial protocol for phIL12 GET (ISRCTN15479959, ClinicalTrials NCT05077033). The study is aimed at evaluating the safety and tolerability of phIL12 GET in treatment of basal cell carcinomas in patients with operable tumors in the head and neck region. The study is designed as an ex-ploratory, dose escalating study with the aim to determine the safety and tolerability of the treatment and to identify the dose of plasmid phIL12 that is safe and elicits its biological activity. Conclusions. The results of this trail protocol will therefore provide the basis for the use of phIL12 GET as an adjuvant treatment to local ablative therapies, to potentially increase their local and elicit a systemic response

Bleomycin electrosclerotherapy (BEST) for the treatment of vascular malformations

Biomedical applications of electroporation are expanding out of the field of oncology into vaccination, treatment of arrhythmias and now in the treatment of vascular malformations. Bleomycin is a widely used sclerosing agent in the treatment of various vascular malformations. The application of electric pulses in addition to bleomycin enhances the effectiveness of the drug, as demonstrated by electrochemotherapy, which utilizes bleomycin in the treatment of tumors. The same principle is used in bleomycin electrosclerotherapy (BEST). The approach seems to be effective in the treatment of low-flow (venous and lymphatic) and, potentially, even high-flow (arteriovenous) malformations. Although there are only a few published reports to date, the surgical community is interested, and an increasing number of centers are applying BEST in the treatment of vascular malformations. Within the International Network for Sharing Practices on Electrochemotherapy (InspECT) consortium, a dedicated working group has been constituted to develop standard operating procedures for BEST and foster clinical trials. By treatment standardization and successful completion of clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of the approach, higher quality data and better clinical outcomes may be achieved

Priporočila za obravnavo bolnikov z bazalnoceličnim karcinomom

no abstractni abstrakt

Katja Pavlič Škerjanc septuagenaria

Ad multos anno

Efficiency of electrochemotherapy in treatment of head and neck cancer

Znanstveno izhodišče: Elektrokemoterapija je inovativen način zdravljenja raka, vendar je malo raziskav, ki bi bile osredotočene na njeno vlogo v zdravljenju sluzničnega in kožnega raka glave in vratu. Za ugotavljanje učinkovitosti in varnosti zdravljenja tudi pri tej skupini bolnikov so nujne pravilno zasnovane in izvedene prospektivne klinične raziskave. Z izboljšanjem tehnoloških postopkov zdravljenja z elektrokemoterapijo lahko zdravimo tudi globoko ležeče tumorje glave in vratu. Pri zdravljenju z elektrokemoterapijo se najpogosteje uporablja bleomicin. Vendar lahko sistemsko zdravljenje z bleomicinom izzove stranske učinke, predvsem pljučno fibrozo in razjede na mestih zdravljenja. Da bi bilo zdravljenje z elektrokemoterapijo kar najbolj učinkovito in varno, je poleg ostalega potrebno določiti tudi parametre farmakokinetike bleomicina. Prav tako je potrebno razjasniti vpliv tumorskega mikrookolja na porazdelitev bleomicina v tumorju in posledično na učinkovitost zdravljenja z elektrokemoterapijo. Namen dela: Namen doktorskega dela je bil ovrednotiti učinkovitost in varnost elektrokemoterapije z bleomicinom v zdravljenju raka glave in vratu. Specifični cilji so bili: (i) določitev optimalnega časovnega okvirja od časa injiciranja bleomicina do elektroporacije in optimalne koncentracije bleomicina, ki je potrebna za učinkovito elektrokemoterapijo, (ii) izboljšanje tehnološkega postopka zdravljenja globoko ležečih tumorjev v področju glave in vratu, (iii) določitev napovednih dejavnikov za uspešnost elektrokemoterapije. Hipoteza: Elektrokemoterapija je učinkovita in varna metoda zdravljenja raka v področju glave in vratu. Metode: V doktorski disertaciji smo spremljali učinek in varnost elektrokemoterapije pri bolnikih s kožnim in sluzničnim rakom glave in vratu. S sklopitvijo načrta zdravljenja in navigacijskega sistema smo poskušali izboljšati postopek zdravljenja globoko ležečih tumorjev v področju glave in vratu. Parametre farmakokinetike bleomicina smo določili tako pri bolnikih kot in vivo pri miših s tekočinsko kromatografijo sklopljeno z masno spektrometrijo. Tumorsko mikrookolje smo preučevali z imunohistokemično analizo na karcinomskem in melanomskem tumorskem modelu. Rezultati: S spremljanjem odgovora na zdravljenje smo dokazali, da je elektrokemoterapija varno in učinkovito zdravljenje raka glave in vratu. Pokazali smo, da je z optimizacijo tehnoloških postopkov elektrokemoterapije možno učinkovito in varno zdraviti tudi v globini ležeče tumorje glave in vratu. Pri starejših bolnikih je terapevtsko okno za aplikacijo električnih pulzov po intravenoznem injiciranju bleomicina daljše kot pri mlajših. Hkrati je pri njih nižji odmerek bleomicina enako učinkovit kot standardni odmerek. Odgovor na zdravljenje z elekokemoterapijo je odvisen od ožiljenosti tumorja, ki vpliva na razporeditev bleomicina v tumorju. Zaključki: Elektrokemoterapija se je izkazala za učinkovit in varen način zdravljenje raka v različnih predelih glave in vratu. Rezultati raziskave pomembno prispevajo k širjenju terapevtskih možnosti pri tem raku in k prilagoditvi elektrokemoterapevtskih protokolov posameznemu bolniku. Značilnosti tumorskega mikrookolja so pomemben dejavnik za napoved uspešnosti elektrokemoterapije.Scientific background: Electrochemotherapy is an inventive approach to cancer treatment. Howevwer, only a few studies so far have focused on its role in the treatment of skin and mucosal head and neck cancers. Properly designed and well-conducted prospective clinical trials are required to determine the efficiency and safety of electrochemotherapy in this group of patients. Technological improvements implement electrochemotherapy as a feasible treatment also for deep-seated head and neck tumors. Nevertheless, intravenously administrated bleomycin is currently the most utilized drug for electrochemotherapy, but it might have some specific side effects, predominantly lung fibrosis and possible ulceration in the treated areas. The main parameters of bleomycin pharmacokinetics need to be determined in order to provide optimal effectiveness and safety of electrochemotherapy. Furthermore, the role of tumor microenvironment in bleomycin distribution and its consequential impact on tumor response to electrochemotherapy has to be explained. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bleomycin-based electrochemotherapy in the treatment of head and neck cancer. Specific objectives were: (i) to determine an optimal time frame between bleomycin injection and electroporation and optimal bleomycin concentration required for effective electrochemotherapy, (ii) the improvement of technological procedure in the treatment of deep-seated head and neck tumors and (iii) determination of predictive factors for effective electrochemotherapy. Hypothesis: Electrochemotherapy is an effective and safe treatment modality for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Methods: In the scope of the study, the local anti-cancer effectiveness and safety were followed on the skin and mucosal head and neck cancers treated with electrochemotherapy. The efficiency of electrochemotherapy as a treatment option of deep-seated head and neck tumors was evaluated by coupling treatment planning and navigation system. The parameters of bleomycin pharmacokinetics were determined in patients and in vivo in mice by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Tumor microenvironment on carcinoma and melanoma tumor models was additionaly investigated with immunohistochemical analysis. Results: The evaluation of treatment outcome in patients with head and neck cancer treated with electrochemotherapy confirms the efficacy and safety of electrochemotherapy in this group of patients. The optimized technological approach enables the treatment of deep-seated tumors in the head and neck region. In the group of elderly patients, therapeutic window is prolonged compared to younger patients and a reduced dose of bleomycin is equally effective as a standard dose. The tumor response to electrochemotherapy is influenced by tumor vascularization, which affects bleomycin distribution in the tumor. Conclusion: Electrochemotherapy proved to be an efficient and safe treatment of cancers in different head and neck regions. The results of the study broaden therapeutic options in the treatment of head and neck cancer and contribute to the adaptation of the electrochemotherapeutic protocols to each individual patient. Characteristics of tumor microenvironment are an important predictive factor to the tumor response to electrochemotherapy