Palliation of haemorrhaging and ulcerated cutaneous tumours using electrochemotherapy

By short, intense electric pulses it is possible to cause cell permeabilisation (electroporation) and this can be used to deliver chemotherapy to tumours (electrochemotherapy). Preclinical studies have shown effects on vasculature of electroporation and electrochemotherapy, in particular in tumours. The effect on normal vasculature is a brief reflexory constriction; however in the fragile and abundant vasculature of tumours, a direct anti-vascular effect has been shown. This finding is mirrored in the clinical observation that bleeding, ulcerated lesions cease to bleed after application of electric pulses, and stay dry while the involution of tumours due to uptake of the cytotoxic agent takes place. Ulcerated, bleeding lesions are not uncommon in cancer patients, and cause discomfort due to bleeding and also stigmatisation when lesions are in visible areas. This report describes a case with ulcerated, bleeding lesions where the use of electrochemotherapy has led to efficient and immediate relief of symptoms.