title: Preclinical evaluation of an endoscopic electroporation system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Targeted delivery of specific chemotherapeutic drugs into tumors can be achieved by delivering electrical pulses directly to the tumor tissue. This causes a transient formation of pores in the cell membrane that enables passive diffusion of normally impermeant drugs. A novel device has been developed to enable the endoscopic delivery of this tumor permeabilizing treatment. The aim of the preclinical studies described here was to investigate the efficacy and safety of this nonthermal ablation system in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer models.
  
  
  METHODS
  Murine, porcine, and canine gastrointestinal tumors and tissues were used to assess the efficacy and safety of electroporation delivered through the special device in combination with bleomycin. Tumor cell death, volume, and overall survival were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Murine tumors treated with electrochemotherapy showed excellent responses, with cell death being induced rapidly, mainly via an apoptotic-type mechanism. Use of the system in canine gastrointestinal cancers demonstrated successful local endoluminal tumor resolution, with no safety or adverse effects noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electroporation via the new device in combination with bleomycin offers a nonthermal tumor ablative approach, and presents clinicians with a new option for the management of gastrointestinal cancers.
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Patrick F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Forde
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadadcharam
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bourke
authors.affiliation: Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital, Togher, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: Gilabbey Veterinary Hospital, Togher, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Shane R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Guerin
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Kruijf
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gerald C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Oncology Services, PLLC, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Impellizeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anthony J P
authors.initials: AJP
authors.lastname: Clover
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Leslie C. Quick Laboratory, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Declan M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Soden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D053672:Electrochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018274:Electroporation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D013552:Swine; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D001761:Bleomycin