Electroporation Enhances Bleomycin Efficacy in Cats with Periocular Carcinoma and Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head

Abstract

BackgroundAdvanced carcinoma of the head represents a substantial health problem in cats for local control and overall survival.ObjectivesEvaluate the capability of electrochemotherapy (ECT) to improve bleomycin efficacy in cats with periocular carcinoma and advanced carcinoma of the head.AnimalsTwenty‐one cats with periocular carcinoma (17 squamous cell carcinoma [SCC] and 4 anaplastic carcinoma) and 26 cats with advanced SCC of the head.MethodsNonrandomized prospective controlled study. Periocular carcinoma cohorts: 12 cats were treated with bleomycin (15 mg/m2 IV) coupled with ECT under anesthesia; 9 cats were treated with bleomycin alone. Advanced head SCC cohorts: 14 cats were treated with bleomycin (15 mg/m2 IV) coupled with ECT administered under sedation; 12 control cats were treated with bleomycin alone. ECT treatments (2–8) were performed every other week until complete remission (CR) or tumor progression occurred.ResultsToxicities were minimal and mostly treated symptomatically. Overall response rate in the ECT treated animals was 89% (21 Complete Response [CR] and 2 Partial Response [PR]) whereas controls had response rate of 33% (4 CR and 3 PR). Median time to progression in ECT group was 30.5 months, whereas in controls it was 3.9 months (P < .0001). Median time to progression for ECT cohorts was 24.2 months for periocular cohort and 20.6 in advanced head SCC cohort, respectively.ConclusionsElectrochemotherapy is well tolerated for advanced SCC of the head in cats; its use may be considered among loco‐regional strategies for cancer therapy in sensitive body regions such as periocular region.

Intralesional therapy for the treatment of keratoacanthoma

“…In an attempt to enhance the cytotoxic effects of intralesional bleomycin, Pasquali and colleagues tested the application of electroporation (ECT) immediately before injection (Pasquali, Spugnini, & Baldi, ). In earlier studies, ECT was shown to disrupt cell membrane and improve drug uptake by the tumor cells (Spugnini et al, ; Spugnini & Baldi, ). Consistent with these findings, the group achieved satisfactory results but it must be emphasized that this study was limited to a single patient.…”

Novel Instruments for the Implementation of Electrochemotherapy Protocols: From Bench Side to Veterinary Clinic

“…These trials, beside yielding an extremely high percentage of responders among the patients were the proof of concept that ECT could be highly effective as first line of treatment, rather than being confined to the palliation of cutaneous metastases as in humans (Campana et al, ; Ricotti et al, ; Kreuter et al, ). These preliminary findings rapidly led to the mounting of several phase II trials on pets affected by different cancers, including sarcomas, mast cell tumors, melanoma, lymphoma and carcinomas of different types, and locations (Tozon et al, , ; Baldi and Spugnini, ; Spugnini et al, ,b, ,c,d,e,f, ,c,d,e,f, , , ,c, , ; Kodre et al, ). All the studies reported minimal side effects, ease of treatment and response rates superior to surgery alone and comparable to adjuvant radiation therapy.…”

Electroporation: characteristics and therapeutic application of the method (a review)

“…Эффект после электропорационной терапии отмечен в 89% случаев (у 21 животного имелась необратимая реакция, у 2 -частичная), в то время как в контроле (лечение только блеомицином) -только у 33% кошек. Среднее время прогрессии в группе электрохими-отерапии составляло 30,5 мес, а в контроле -3,9 мес (р<0,0001) [31].…”