Clinical considerations of bleomycin based electrochemotherapy with variable electrode geometry electrodes for inoperable, deep-seated soft tissue sarcomas.

The aim of the current prospective pilot study exclusively for deep-seated soft tissue sarcomas (STS) was to evaluate efficacy and safety of bleomycin-based ECT using VEG (variable electrode geometry) electrodes. During a 2-year period, seven surgically inoperable STSs were treated at the University of Szeged, Department of Surgery in Hungary. Electrode placement was determined by software planning using preoperative imaging (CT/MRI) and intraoperative ultrasound. Intravenous bleomycin (15.000 IU/m2) was administered 8 min before first pulse generation which lasted up to 40 min. Tumour response was evaluated through CT/MRI 2 months after treatment as per RECIST v.1.1. Five male- and 2 female patients were treated with fibromyxoid sarcoma (n = 2), epitheloid sarcoma (n = 3), liposarcoma (n = 1) and myofibroblastic sarcoma (n = 1) with median age of 54 years (49-88). Median tumour diameter, tumour volume and tumour depth was 5.9 cm (3.7-22.5), 131.13 cm3 (35.6-2456.22) and 6.18 cm (3.74-18.18), respectively. Median operative time was 75 min (35-180), median hospital stay 2 days (2-20). Two month follow-up confirmed partial response in 5 patients, while stable disease in 1 patient, and progressive disease in 1 case as per RECIST v.1.1. Grade 2 ulceration was experienced in four cases, and a transient left musculus quadriceps femoris plegia occured in one patient. Local control of deep-seated STSs with BLM-based VEG ECT holds a promising perspective and our results may serve as a practical guide for further investigation and treatment planning.

New Treatment Option for Capillary Lymphangioma: Bleomycin-Based Electrochemotherapy of an Infant.

The treatment of microcystic and combined lymphangiomas, especially in the head and neck region, is still a challenge because the lymphangiomas do not respond to conventional therapies and their recurrence rate is high, regardless of the treatment choice. Complete surgical resection is the main treatment of lymphangiomas, but because of localization perioperative complications, such as bleeding, neural damage and airway obstruction are common disadvantages of this method. Bleomycin-based sclerotherapy is another common therapeutic approach, in which the lymphocysts are aspirated, and 25% to 50% of their volumes are replaced with a sclerotisant drug. This is an effective treatment in cases in which the vessels are large enough for an intravascular or intracystic injection, but because of the small size of vessels and cysts, the microcystic and combined lymphangiomas are not suitable for sclerotherapy. Delivery of drugs for treating sclerosis to endothelial cells can be achieved by electroporation (electrochemotherapy), even for capillary malformations. A congenital, rapidly growing combined lymphangioma of the left cervicofacial region was treated with one session of bleomycin-based electrochemotherapy. Seven months after treatment, the growth-corrected target volume decrease was 63% and the dislocation of the trachea and blood vessels previously observed had ceased. We suggest that bleomycin-based electrochemotherapy is a feasible alternative treatment option for capillary malformations.

[Successful treatment of facial angiofibromas with local sirolimus in childhood in Bourneville-Pringle disease]. / Lokális szirolimuszterápia sikeres alkalmazása facialis angiofibromák kezelésére Bourneville­Pringle-kórban szenvedo gyermekeken.

Facial angiofibroma is the characteristic symptom and also a major diagnostic criterion for Bourneville-Pringle disease. The centrofacially localized hamartomatous tumours start to appear in early childhood, and progress over time. Facial angiofibromas represent a significant cosmetological problem for the patients and a therapeutic challenge for the physician. Beside the traditional invasive treating methods, topical sirolimus is a new, promising and well-tolerated treatment modality. Several studies and case reports have been published on this new therapeutic approach, but recommendation for the optimal sirolimus concentration still does not exist. We report here two cases when children were successfully treated with topical sirolimus. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(13): 516-520.

Electrochemotherapy for advanced cutaneous angiosarcoma: A European register-based cohort study from the International Network for Sharing Practices of electrochemotherapy (InspECT).

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous angiosarcoma (cAS) is a highly aggressive malignancy that challenges the radicality of surgical treatment. Electrochemotherapy (ECT), a skin-directed treatment based on cytotoxic chemotherapy combined with local electric pulses, may be an intraoperative adjunct and a new opportunity in the therapeutic strategy. This cohort study reports the experience with ECT as an option. METHODS: Data on patients with locally-advanced/metastatic cAS who underwent ECT between October 2013 and October 2018 at eight European centres were prospectively submitted to the InspECT (International network for sharing practices of ECT) register. Patients received therapy according to the European Standard Operating Procedures of ECT (ESOPE). Treatment feasibility was assessed based on tumour coverage with electrodes and recorded tissue current; treatment toxicity and tumour response were graded according to CTCAE v5.0 and RECIST v1.1 criteria, respectively; patient-reported outcomes (PRO) were evaluated using a visual analogue score (VAS) for pain, acceptance of retreatment and the EQ-5D questionnaire. RESULTS: We enrolled 20 patients with advanced cAS in the scalp/face (n = 7), breast/trunk (n = 10) or limbs (n = 3). Target tumours (n = 51) had a median size of 2.3 cm (range, 1-20). We administered 24 ECT courses using 1-4 cm treatment safety margin around tumours. In five patients, ECT was combined/sequenced with surgery. Median tissue current was 3 A (range, 1.5-10), tumour margins coverage rate was 75% (15/20 patients). The objective response rate (ORR) was 80% (complete, 40%). Grade-3 toxicity included skin ulceration (15%) and pain (10%), with no significant change of PRO scores. Bleeding control was achieved in 13/14 patients with ulcerated tumours. With a median overall survival of 12.5 months, the local progression-free survival (LPFS) was 10.9 months. CONCLUSION: ECT produces sustained response rate with minimal side effects and should be considered an option for advanced cAS. Palliative benefits include patient tolerability, local haemostasis and durable local control. Definition of optimal timing, treatment safety margins and combination with surgery need further investigation.