Electrochemotherapy for the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: The INSPECT experience (2008-2020)

Giulia Bertino*, Ales Groselj, Luca G Campana, Christian Kunte, Hadrian Schepler, Julie Gehl, Tobian Muir, James A P Clover, Pietro Quaglino, Erika Kis, Matteo Mascherini, Brian Bisase, Giancarlo Pecorari, Falk Bechara, Paolo Matteucci, Joy Odili, Francesco Russano, Antonio Orlando, Rowan Pritchard-Jones, Graeme MoirDavid Mowatt, Barbara Silvestri, Veronica Seccia, Werner Saxinger, Francesca de Terlizzi, Gregor Sersa

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftArtikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

Introduction: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a frequent skin cancer with a high risk of recurrence characterized by tumor infiltration and, in advanced cases, a poor prognosis. ECT (electrochemotherapy) is an alternative treatment option for locally advanced or recurrent cSCC that is unsuitable for surgical resection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the data in the InspECT (International Network for Sharing Practice on ECT) registry of the referral centers and to clarify the indications for the use of ECT as a treatment modality for cSCC.

Materials and methods: Patients with primary, recurrent or locally advanced cSCC from 18 European centers were included. They underwent at least one ECT session with bleomycin between February 2008 and November 2020, which was performed following the European Standard Operating Procedures.

Results: The analysis included 162 patients (mean age of 80 years; median, 1 lesion/patient). Side effects were mainly local and mild (hyperpigmentation, 11%; ulceration, 11%; suppuration, 4%). The response to treatment per patient was 62% complete and 21% partial. In the multivariate model, intravenous drug administration and small tumor size showed a significant association with a positive outcome (objective response). One-year local progression-free survival was significantly better (p<0.001) in patients with primary tumors (80% (95% C.I. 70%-90%) than in patients with locally advanced disease (49% (95% C.I. 30%-68%).

Conclusion: In the present study, ECT showed antitumor activity and a favorable safety profile in patients with complex cSCC for whom there was no widely accepted standard of care. Better results were obtained in primary and small tumors (<3 cm) using intravenous bleomycin administration.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummer951662
TidsskriftFrontiers in Oncology
Vol/bind12
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 20 sep. 2022

Bibliografisk note

Copyright © 2022 Bertino, Groselj, Campana, Kunte, Schepler, Gehl, Muir, Clover, Quaglino, Kis, Mascherini, Bisase, Pecorari, Bechara, Matteucci, Odili, Russano, Orlando, Pritchard-Jones, Moir, Mowatt, Silvestri, Seccia, Saxinger, de Terlizzi and Sersa.

Fingeraftryk

Udforsk hvilke forskningsemner 'Electrochemotherapy for the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: The INSPECT experience (2008-2020)' indeholder.

Citationsformater