Electrochemotherapy
- Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is an approved treatment for cutaneous and subcutaneous tumor nodules in human Oncology. This technique combines the administration of certain anticancer drugs with electroporation. Local application of the electric pulses enhances drug-delivery into cells specifically at the side of the pulse application thus allowing uptake of drugs. The procedure leads to apoptotic cell death of cancer cells and a long-lasting local control and overall patient benefit. Due to the lack of systemic toxicity, the ECT can be repeated several times without the side effects of re-irradiated tissues. ECT has then been adopted in many European countries as standard treatment of cutaneous neoplasms.
- ECT is also used in Veterinary Oncology in dogs, cats, exotics and horses. There are centers in Brazil, France, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia, UK and USA where this treatment is available. It is used for a wide variety of tumors.