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- Title
The controversial role of electrochemotherapy in head and neck cancer: a systematic review of the literature.
- Authors
Lenzi, Riccardo; Muscatello, Luca; Saibene, Alberto; Felisati, Giovanni; Pipolo, Carlotta
- Abstract
Electroporation, also known as electrochemotherapy, combines an antineoplastic agent with electroporation, causing localized progressive necrosis in the treated area. Today it is primarily used in the palliative treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases and has been found to be safe and efficacious in head and neck cancer recurrences. Despite the steady increase in the number of published studies this treatment is not universally available and used systematically in head and neck carcinomas. To shed light on its limitations and analyze treatment outcome we have, therefore, reviewed all available literature regarding this topic. This systematic review includes 16 studies on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and reports the data of 200 treated patients. The combined results show a very heterogeneous overall response rate, ranging from 0 to 100%, while the complete response rate ranges between 0 and 83.3%. No major side effects have been described in those who used electrochemotherapy as a mono modality palliative treatment. This systematic review shows how standardization of treatment is still pivotal to achieve a more homogeneous response rate in the approach to head and neck tumors. In conclusion, due to the scarcity of alternatives of treatment in advanced stage cancer in this anatomical region and the good tolerability and mostly high success rates of electrochemotherapy, this palliative approach should be taken into consideration in these patients.
- Subjects
ELECTROPORATION therapy; HEAD &; neck cancer treatment; PALLIATIVE treatment; HEAD &; neck cancer patients; METASTASIS; HEALTH outcome assessment
- Publication
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, 2017, Vol 274, Issue 6, p2389
- ISSN
0937-4477
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00405-017-4490-2