Electrochemotherapy in Breast Cancer: A Review of References

Abstract

Electrochemotherapy is a new method for the local treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases. If surgery and/or radiotherapy are no longer possible, this innovative technology can be used effectively for local tumour control. The minor side effects of the therapy and the low intraoperative duration of treatment make it possible to admit patients to hospital for just a short time. Thus, the repeated use of electrochemotherapy has allowed for an increase in the rate of complete remissions. In fact, in 2013, this form of treatment, which consists of a low-dose cytostatic and electroporation, was also included in the mammary guidelines of the Working Group for Gynaecological Oncology (AGO) and the German Cancer Society (DKG). The favourable cost-benefit ratio makes this method of treatment very interesting in clinical practice and, as a result, it is already being used successfully in many German hospitals.

Zusammenfassung

Die Elektrochemotherapie ist eine neue Methode zur lokalen Behandlung von kutanen und subkutanen Metastasen. Sind Operation und/oder Radiatio nicht mehr möglich, so kann diese innovative Technik effektiv zur lokalen Tumorkontrolle eingesetzt werden. Die geringen Nebenwirkungen der Therapie und die geringe intraoperative Behandlungsdauer machen eine kurze Hospitalisation möglich. Durch wiederholten Einsatz der Elektrochemotherapie kann dabei die Rate an Komplettremissionen erhöht werden, sodass 2013 diese aus einem niedrig dosiertem Zytostatikum und Elektroporation bestehende Therapieform auch in die Mamma-Leitlinien der AGO/DKG aufgenommen wurde. Die günstige Kosten-Nutzen-Relation macht dieses Behandlungsverfahren in der klinischen Praxis sehr interessant, sodass es bereits erfolgreich in zahlreichen deutschen Kliniken eingesetzt wird.

Key words

breast cancer - metastasis - mammary

Schlüsselwörter

Mammakarzinom - Metastasierung - Mamma

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