The following is a summary of “Electrochemotherapy (ECT) in treatment of mucosal head and neck tumors. An International Network for Sharing Practices on ECT (InspECT) study group report,” published in the June 2024 issue of Surgery by Bertino et al.

This multicenter study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of electrochemotherapy (ECT) for managing mucosal tumors in the head and neck region. A cohort of 71 patients, comprising 84 nodules with various histologies in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, underwent ECT across ten participating European centers as documented in the InspECT database.

The tumors included primary and recurrent/secondary lesions of diverse histological types. The study revealed an overall response rate of 65%, with a notable complete response rate of 33%, all achieved with minimal adverse effects. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in response rates between primary and secondary tumors. However, tumors smaller than 3 cm in diameter exhibited better response rates than larger lesions. Moreover, lesions treated with curative intent demonstrated significantly superior responses to those managed palliatively.

These findings underscore ECT’s feasibility, safety, and efficacy in treating mucosal tumors within the head and neck. The results suggest that ECT is a viable therapeutic option for recurrent and, in select cases, primary tumors located in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Particularly encouraging outcomes were observed in patients with smaller primary tumors treated with curative intent, highlighting the potential of ECT in achieving favorable treatment responses.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0748798324005250