An analysis of clinical effectiveness of electrochemotherapy in the treatment of advanced metastatic malignant melanoma performed in the eastern part of Central Europe: a single-centre experience

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM), in case of non-resectability of the lesions, have only a limited pool of the available treatment options. In recent years especially electrochemotherapy (ECT) has become an increasingly important therapy in locoregionally advanced MM. Aim: In this study an analysis of the ECT treatment of locoregionally advanced malignant melanoma was presented. Material and methods: Six ECT cycles in 5 patients were performed in the Wroclaw Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Treatment response, long-term observation, technical data downloaded from electroporator and photographs taken before and after the ECT were assessed in the analysis. Results: In total, 200 nodules in 5 patients were treated with ECT in palliative intent. After 5 out of 6 ECT cycles, the particular clinical response has been observed. Four patients with primary unresectable lesions underwent 11 surgeries of the cutaneous metastases. In long-term follow-up in 2 patients, of whom one died 19 months after the ECT, the disease progressed and in another two, no recurrence was observed. Conclusions: ECT is an encouraging therapy for patients in whom the recurrent cutaneous melanoma cannot be treated with other methods, however, access to this method in eastern part of Central Europe is limited. The presented study seems to confirm the usefulness of this palliative approach in a specific group of patients suffering from cutaneous MM.