TY - JOUR

T1 - Electrochemotherapy in the head and neck area

T2 - an addition to the treatment armamentarium

AU - de Bree, Remco

AU - Wessel, Irene

PY - 2020/4

Y1 - 2020/4

N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is increasingly used in different settings in head and neck cancer patients when conventional treatment options are not available.RECENT FINDINGS: Recent improvements of electroporation and ECT include new advanced electrode probes, the combination with intratumorally injected supraphysiological doses of calcium and an update of the standard operating procedures.SUMMARY: ECT is a treatment modality that combines administration of a chemotherapeutic drug, for example, bleomycin, with electroporation therapy (EPT). EPT uses brief, high-intensity, pulsed electrical currents to enhance the uptake of cytotoxic drugs by producing a transient increase in cell wall permeability. ECT increases the effect of cytostatic drugs, is independent on histology of the lesion, enables treatment to previously treated areas, preserves healthy tissue, has no significant side effects (low-dose chemotherapy) and enables repeated treatments. ECT can be combined with other treatment modalities and is an addition to the current treatment options of head and neck cancer. ECT is not only able to palliate symptoms but can also provide complete responses and curation.

AB - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is increasingly used in different settings in head and neck cancer patients when conventional treatment options are not available.RECENT FINDINGS: Recent improvements of electroporation and ECT include new advanced electrode probes, the combination with intratumorally injected supraphysiological doses of calcium and an update of the standard operating procedures.SUMMARY: ECT is a treatment modality that combines administration of a chemotherapeutic drug, for example, bleomycin, with electroporation therapy (EPT). EPT uses brief, high-intensity, pulsed electrical currents to enhance the uptake of cytotoxic drugs by producing a transient increase in cell wall permeability. ECT increases the effect of cytostatic drugs, is independent on histology of the lesion, enables treatment to previously treated areas, preserves healthy tissue, has no significant side effects (low-dose chemotherapy) and enables repeated treatments. ECT can be combined with other treatment modalities and is an addition to the current treatment options of head and neck cancer. ECT is not only able to palliate symptoms but can also provide complete responses and curation.

KW - Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage

KW - Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy

KW - Electrochemotherapy/methods

KW - Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy

KW - Humans

KW - Palliative Care

U2 - 10.1097/MOO.0000000000000609

DO - 10.1097/MOO.0000000000000609

M3 - Review

C2 - 32102006

VL - 28

SP - 112

EP - 117

JO - Current Opinion in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery

JF - Current Opinion in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery

SN - 1068-9508

IS - 2

ER -