Electrochemotherapy: an option for liver cancer

Electrochemotherapy (ECT) combines a chemotherapy drug, often bleomycin or cisplatin, with targeted electrical impulses. It utilizes the principle of electroporation: the brief application of an electric field temporarily increases the permeability of the tumor cell membrane, allowing the drug to penetrate the cells at significantly higher concentrations. With focused application of the electric field, the result is increased cytotoxicity, while the surrounding healthy tissue remains largely intact. ECT is particularly suitable for patients for whom surgical intervention is not possible or for tumors located near sensitive structures such as blood vessels or bile ducts, where other procedures are not suitable.

The treatment of liver tumors often involves a great deal of medical effort. In some clinics, ECT is also used for Liver cancer . As stated in a press release from Regensburg University Hospital, this is also the case at this clinic. "Electrochemotherapy is a gentle alternative that protects healthy tissue adjacent to or within the treatment area while simultaneously enabling effective tumor ablation," says Associate Professor Dr. Ingo Einspieler, Head of the Center for Radiological-Interventional Oncology.

The hospital also points out that the introduction of a bipolar electrode represents a significant technological innovation. It now enables the ablation of liver tumors through a single puncture site. Previously, this procedure required at least three needles, making the procedure more complex and risky. The new bipolar electrode combines two poles in one needle, simplifying treatment, reducing sources of error, and increasing safety. According to the experts, this allows for more efficient and gentle treatment of small, difficult-to-access tumors.

The procedure is applied at the hospital once and in a low dose. It can treat one or two tumor sites in the The liver can be treated specifically with AI-assisted navigation without heat generation—unlike other procedures such as radiofrequency or microwave ablation. The treatment is efficient, minimally invasive, and particularly suitable for patients in the early metastatic stage.