Indications

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INDICATIONS

Electrochemotherapy can effectively treat tumours located in:

Skin

Breast

Vulva

Head
& neck

Bone
metastases

Liver

Pancreas

Rectum

Soft
tissue

VASCULAR
MALFORMATIONS

Skin

Breast

Vulva

Head
& neck

Bone
metastases

Liver

Pancreas

Rectum

Soft
tissue

VASCULAR
MALFORMATIONS

SKIN

Electrochemotherapy can be offered for primary and secondary tumours localised to the skin and subcutis with the intention of curing or locally controlling the disease, with a success rate of more than 80%.

The therapy enables the rapid treatment of multiple lesions in a single session, without compromising aesthetics and organ function, significantly improving patient quality of life.

The main indications are:

Skin metastases from melanoma or other cancers
Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas
Kaposi’s sarcoma
Merkeloma
Gorlin-Goltz syndrome

BREAST

In patients with skin metastases from breast cancer, combining local treatment with systemic therapy has been shown to increase survival.

Electrochemotherapy is indicated for local control of the disease in the skin, regardless of the biological characteristics of the primary tumour (hormone positive, HER2-positive or triple negative), with a success rate of more than 70%.

VULVA

Local recurrence from vulval carcinoma, which is frequent especially in old age, is an important risk factor for metastatic progression and has negative effects on patients’ quality of life. Therapeutic solutions for recurrence are limited, especially if surgery is not feasible for functional and aesthetic reasons.

In disease in the vulval region, electrochemotherapy can be used in the following indications:

Recurrences from squamous cell carcinoma
Melanoma metastases
Paget’s disease.

Electrochemotherapy represents an effective therapeutic option for patients with single or multiple recurrences, pre-treated lesions, or those not suitable for standard therapies.

The therapy is well tolerated, with response rates 80% higher than those achievable with systemic chemotherapy.

HEAD and NECK

The main goal of therapies for head and neck cancers is to remove the disease in the safest way for the patient and to preserve the aesthetics and function at the site of surgery as much as possible.

Thanks to electrochemotherapy, it is possible to effectively control disease symptoms and progression. The treatment has also been shown to provide complete and lasting responses.

In more than 80% of cases, electrochemotherapy controls the disease locally and improves the patient’s quality of life.

BONE METASTASES

In 75% of cases, bone metastases are responsible for a series of complications, called skeletal-related events, which worsen the patient’s quality of life.

Electrochemotherapy, thanks to its targeted action against tumour cells and its minimally invasive approach, allows local control of skeletal disease while preserving the mineral component of the bone. This reduces the risk of skeletal-related events and controls pain symptoms.

LIVER

The treatment of liver lesions located close to vital structures (blood vessels, bile ducts) by surgery or other conventional ablative therapies is sometimes difficult and involves risks for the patient.

Electrochemotherapy overcomes the limitations of conventional therapies and offers a further therapeutic option in patients with tumours in difficult-to-treat locations.

PANCREAS

Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for pancreatic cancer.

In the event of late diagnosis, the tumour may be locally advanced (stage III) and infiltrate some arterial vessels, such as the superior mesenteric artery and the coeliac trunk. In such cases, surgery and other ablative techniques can be difficult to perform.

Electrochemotherapy is a valid therapeutic alternative for these patients. As a minimally invasive non-thermal ablation modality, it is able to destroy the tumour while preserving the structures surrounding the lesion.

RECTUM

In patients with metastatic low rectal cancer who are not candidates for palliative surgery, electrochemotherapy controls the disease locally, relieves symptoms, stops bleeding and improves patients’ quality of life.

It can also be used in the event of disease recurrence following conventional treatment (surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy).

SOFT TISSUE

Sarcomas are rare tumours affecting connective tissues, the evolution of which varies dramatically. Because of this variability, correct diagnostic and histological classification of the disease is essential.

Electrochemotherapy is useful in the local control of sarcomas, angiosarcomas and soft tissue metastases that are inoperable and/or refractory to chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment. Clinical studies demonstrate a high response rate, long-lasting local control and improved quality of life for patients.

Recent technological developments have made it possible to use it in the treatment of tumours that are heterogeneous in terms of size and anatomical position.

VASCULAR MALFORMATIONS

Vascular malformations are congenital anomalies of the vascular system which can represent a therapeutic challenge, particularly in patients with recurrent or therapy-resistant malformations.

Electrosclerotherapy is a new sclerotherapy technique for venous and lymphatic malformations. It's highly effective highly effective even on therapy resistant vascular malformation, requiring a reduced dose of sclerosing agent and usually only one session.

Medical Area

PATIENT AREA

Scientific Evidence and Bibliography

More than 800 publications from clinical trials support the efficacy of electrochemotherapy.