2010/11/01 by Alessandro Testori, Giulio Tosti, Chiara Martinoli +11 · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Immunology and Microbiology · #Microbial Inactivation Methods #Toxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins #Transgenic Plants and Applications
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1529-8019.2010.01370.x
openalex publication_date 2010/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Electroporation uses pulsed, high-intensity electric fields to temporarily increase cell membrane permeability by creation of pores, through which small molecules, such as chemotherapeutic agents, can diffuse inside cells before they reseal. The combination of electroporation with the administration of otherwise low-permeant cytotoxic drugs is known as electrochemotherapy (ECT). The two most commonly used drugs are bleomycin and cisplatin. ECT has already been proven to be effective in diverse tumor histotypes, including melanoma and basal and squamous cell carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma, and breast cancer, also in those cases nonresponding to classical chemotherapies or other loco-regional treatment modalities, with a good safety profile. ECT can be proposed as loco-regional therapy for disseminated cutaneous and subcutaneous tumor lesions as alternative treatment modality to conventional therapies or as palliative care, in order to improve patients' quality of life.