title: Potentiation of chemotherapy in companion animals with spontaneous large neoplasms by application of biphasic electric pulses.
abstract: The objectives of this phase I/II study were: i) to determine whether electrochemotherapy (intralesional bleomycin + electric pulses) could be effective in companion animals with different, large neoplasms compared to chemotherapy (conventional intralesional bleomycin); ii) to identify potential toxicities; iii) to preliminarily assess the electric field requirements. Twenty-two patients received intralesional bleomycin + administration of permeabilizing electric pulses. Specifically, after the injection of the drug, sequences of 8 biphasic electric pulses lasting 50 + 50 micros each, with 1 ms interpulse intervals, were delivered in bursts of 1300 V/cm for cutaneous and soft tissue lesions, and of 800 V/cm for oral mucosal and exposed soft tissue neoplasms, using caliper electrodes. The treatment was well tolerated and side effects were infrequent. Nevertheless, two previously unreported toxicities (drug-induced vasculitis and pulmonary thromboembolism) have been identified. A high response rate (complete remission + partial remission: > 80%), often long lasting (> 40%) was obtained. Furthermore, results of this trial were compared to a subset of veterinary cancer patients treated with bleomycin single agent, observing a remarkable superiority of the combined treatment (p < 0.01). Altogether, results suggest that electrochemotherapy is a potentially advantageous rescue protocol for bulky, even relapsing neoplasms of companion animals. Further investigations in this field might allow developing improved protocols for the treatment of down-staged relapsing cancer in pets as well as in humans.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncogenesis Laboratory, S.A.F.U. Department, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Center for Experimental Research, Rome, Italy. spugnini@ifo.it
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Spugnini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porrello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000662:veterinary*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin