title: Advances in the treatment of malignant tumours by electrochemical therapy (ECT).
abstract: A total of 4,081 patients with various malignant tumours were treated by electrochemical therapy (ECT) at 66 hospitals in China during the period 1987-1992. The clinical effectiveness of ECT was analysed in 2,516 patients who had complete hospital records. The most common malignant tumours treated with ECT was lung cancer (n = 593), skin cancer (n = 401), liver cancer (n = 388) and breast cancer (n = 228). Two thousand one hundred and twenty-four patients were followed up for 1 to 5 years. Survival rates were 84.3% for 1 year, 79.1% for 2 years, 63.5% for 3 years, 57.8% for 4 years, and 46.6% for 5 years. The 5-year survival for T1 and T2 stages was significantly better than for T3 and T4 stages (66.7% vs. 27.1%, p < 0.05). The short-term objective response (complete and partial response) was 78.1%. ECT is indicated in patients who are unsuitable for operation and radio- or chemotherapy due to old age, and who suffer from general weakness, or insufficiency of vital organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hauzhong University of Science and Technology, China.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome