Author of

• 10557

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  P1.05 - Poster Session 1 - Preclinical Models of Therapeutics/Imaging (ID 156)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Biology
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/28/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 10567

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    P1.05-010 - Pre-Clinical validation of Electro-Chemotherapy (ECT) in the treatment of Lung tumours (ID 1656)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Forde
    • Abstract

    Background
    Lung cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosed and has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, with less than a third of all patients undergoing a curative resection. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) has emerged as a novel treatment in treating various kinds of malignancies. ECT is the local potentiation, by means of permeabilising electric pulses, of the anti-tumour activity of a non-permeant anticancer drug possessing a high intrinsic cytotoxicity. We have devised a study to demonstrate the safety of using a needle based electrode device (ThoraVe) in delivering electrochemotherapy to lung tissues. A comparison of ECT with other modalities such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) was carried out to explore the safety of electrochemotherapy as a novel treatment in lung tumours.

    Methods
    Healthy female pigs were randomised into the following treatment groups: ECT, Electroporation only (EP), RFA, IRE and No procedure (Sham). Each animal underwent a pre-treatment CT scan as a baseline. The scans were repeated at Days 1, 3, 7, 10 and 21 following treatment. The area of trauma/opacification seen radiologically was calculated using volume-analysis software. Histological samples were taken from each group at the same time points. Secondary outcomes analysed included airleak and drainage volume following each procedure

    Results
    A total of 65 pigs were used, 3 in each treatment group and 2 for each histological time point. Following each treatment, the area of trauma to the lung represented by an area of opacification on the CT scan, was identified and calculated. The ECT and EP groups were similar in terms of volume of opacification over the 3-week period, and demonstrated less radiological changes than RFA and IRE. The volume of opacification was minimal at the end of the 3-week period compared to the RFA and IRE groups. H&E staining demonstrated evidence of alveolar edema and hyperaemia in all groups but more marked in the RFA and IRE groups at day 1 and 3. Area of necrosis was evident in the RFA and IRE groups, which persisted until Day 21. ECT and EP groups did not show any evidence of persisting necrosis with normal lung parenchyma seen on Day 10 and 21. There was minimal to no air leak measured for the Sham, EP and ECT groups at the end of the surgical procedure with no air leak observed by day 1 postoperatively for the 3 groups. RFA and IRE groups showed significant air leakage immediately following treatment. The drainage volume was minimal and comparable in the Sham, EP and ECT groups. Both RFA and IRE groups had significantly higher drainage volume on Day 1. Drainage persisted until Day 3 in the IRE group.

    Conclusion
    We have successfully demonstrated the feasibility and safety of using ECT as compared to other established and experimental treatment modalities. Our data show radiological and histological evidence of preservation of lung parenchyma post ECT treatment, which was well tolerated, with minimal complications such as air leaks or bleeding.