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The controversial role of electrochemotherapy in head and neck cancer: a systematic review of the literature

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Abstract

Electroporation, also known as electrochemotherapy, combines an antineoplastic agent with electroporation, causing localized progressive necrosis in the treated area. Today it is primarily used in the palliative treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases and has been found to be safe and efficacious in head and neck cancer recurrences. Despite the steady increase in the number of published studies this treatment is not universally available and used systematically in head and neck carcinomas. To shed light on its limitations and analyze treatment outcome we have, therefore, reviewed all available literature regarding this topic. This systematic review includes 16 studies on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and reports the data of 200 treated patients. The combined results show a very heterogeneous overall response rate, ranging from 0 to 100%, while the complete response rate ranges between 0 and 83.3%. No major side effects have been described in those who used electrochemotherapy as a mono modality palliative treatment. This systematic review shows how standardization of treatment is still pivotal to achieve a more homogeneous response rate in the approach to head and neck tumors. In conclusion, due to the scarcity of alternatives of treatment in advanced stage cancer in this anatomical region and the good tolerability and mostly high success rates of electrochemotherapy, this palliative approach should be taken into consideration in these patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Otorhinolaryngology, Azienda USL Toscana Nord Ovest, Apuane Hospital, Massa, Italy

    Riccardo Lenzi & Luca Muscatello

  2. Unit of Otolaryngology, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Milan, Italy

    Alberto Maria Saibene

  3. Unit of Otolaryngology, Department of Health Sciences, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Antonio di Rudinì 8, 20142, Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Felisati & Carlotta Pipolo

Authors
  1. Riccardo Lenzi
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  2. Luca Muscatello
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  3. Alberto Maria Saibene
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  4. Giovanni Felisati
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  5. Carlotta Pipolo
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Correspondence to Carlotta Pipolo.

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All authors declare that they have no potential conflict of interests concerning this paper and they do not have financial disclosures to make.

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Lenzi, R., Muscatello, L., Saibene, A.M. et al. The controversial role of electrochemotherapy in head and neck cancer: a systematic review of the literature. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 2389–2394 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4490-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4490-2

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