Electrochemotherapy with cisplatin of cutaneous tumor lesions in breast cancer

We have evaluated the efficiency of electrochemotherapy with cisplatin on cutaneous tumor lesions of breast cancer and have compared its efficiency with the efficiency of intratumoral (i.t.) administration of cisplatin alone. The study was performed on six breast cancer patients with 26 cutaneous lesions in whom all standard treatment modalities were exhausted. Of 26 lesions, 12 were treated by electrochemotherapy, six by i.t. cisplatin application, while eight were controls. In all 12 lesions treated by electrochemotherapy and followed-up for up to 26 weeks at the most, the objective response was obtained [complete response in 33% with mean duration of 10 weeks and partial response (PR) in 67% with a mean duration of 5 weeks]. In six lesions treated with i.t. application of cisplatin and followed-up for up to 12 weeks at the most, objective response was obtained in 83% of lesions; none of these responses were complete, the mean duration of PR was 5 weeks. During electrochemotherapy, only minimal local side-effects were observed, whereas no systemic side-effects of the treatment were noticed. We conclude that electrochemotherapy with i.t. cisplatin application is effective in local treatment of cutaneous tumor lesions of breast cancer. (C) 2004 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.