What is electrochemotherapy?
This is a minimally invasive treatment for removing skin tumors, which involves administering an anticancer drug followed by the application of electroporation pulses. These pulses increase the drug’s effectiveness by more than 1,000 times in the affected area. For this purpose, state-of-the-art equipment specifically developed for electroporation in oncology and approved by ANMAT is used.
What is electrochemotherapy?
Electrochemotherapy is a minimally invasive and safe treatment used to treat skin tumors.
It combines the action of an anticancer drug with a technique that significantly increases its effectiveness within the tumor.
Its goal is to target tumor cells while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact, resulting in better cosmetic outcomes and the preservation of the treated organ’s function.
How does it work?
By applying an electric field, the medication penetrates the tumor and destroys it highly effectively, without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. This results in excellent cosmetic outcomes while preserving healthy tissue. It also helps preserve organ function as much as possible.
Since the medication targets the tumor, the typical side effects of chemotherapy—such as discomfort, nausea, and hair loss—do NOT occur.
After the treatment, which lasts about an hour, the patient goes home to recover and can resume their normal activities within a few days.
How does it work?
Electrochemotherapy involves administering an anticancer drug and applying electrical pulses to the tumor using equipment that has been specially developed and approved by ANMAT.
Electroporation pulses cause a temporary increase in the permeability of cell membranes, allowing the drug to enter with more than 1,000 times greater efficacy into the tumor, while the surrounding healthy tissue remains protected.
Since the drug targets the tumor, the typical side effects of chemotherapy, such as discomfort, nausea, or hair loss, do not occur.
The procedure takes about an hour. Once it is complete, the patient returns home to recover and can resume their normal activities within a few days.
Benefits of Electrochemotherapy
This technique offers significant benefits, especially for complex lesions or those located in sensitive areas.
High Local Efficacy
It increases the concentration of the drug in the tumor, enhancing the response without increasing systemic side effects.
Preserves Healthy Tissue
It acts only on dividing cells and preserves structure and function, yielding excellent aesthetic results.
Outpatient Procedure
The procedure takes less than an hour, and you can go home the same day, ensuring a comfortable and quick recovery.
Results in just a few weeks
The lesion gradually subsides and reaches its peak response approximately thirty days later.
Compatible with other therapies
Highly recommended for reducing inflammation prior to surgery, when other therapies have failed, or even to enhance the effectiveness of other treatments.
Suitable for complex cases
Electrochemotherapy can yield good results in cases where other therapies would lead to functional sequelae.
Excellent Aesthetic Results
It promotes proper healing while preserving healthy skin, resulting in superior aesthetic outcomes in sensitive areas.
Preserve Function and Quality of Life
It reduces pain, bleeding, and discomfort associated with the lesion, allowing for a more comfortable recovery and daily life with fewer limitations.
History of Electrochemotherapy
1989
Dr. Lluis Mir, a researcher at the CNRS (France), developed this technique to enhance the effectiveness of anticancer drugs.
2009
Research into electrochemotherapy using GEM precursors begins in Argentina.
2006
Following the publication of the ESOPE project guidelines, electrochemotherapy began to be used as standard practice in Europe, leading to its rapid expansion across the region.
2020
Argentina approved the first medical-grade electroporator, marking the formal beginning of electrochemotherapy in human medicine in Latin America. GEM was formally established to make this therapy available to patients.
Electrochemotherapy by the Numbers
High response rates
Over 80% depending on the type of tumor
1–2 sessions
Average number of treatments required per patient
Outpatient
Minimally invasive procedure with a quick recovery
200+
Centers around the world use electrochemotherapy on a regular basis
1.500+
Monthly treatments performed in Europe
#1 in Latin America
Argentina is the first and only country to have implemented it
Information for Patients
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Frequently Asked Questions from Patients
First, an anticancer drug (usually bleomycin) is administered.
Then, brief, controlled electrical pulses increase the permeability of the tumor, allowing the drug to penetrate a thousand times more effectively and act directly where it is needed.
Healthy tissue is virtually unaffected.
Electrochemotherapy is based on internationally standardized protocols and has been in clinical use in Europe for nearly two decades.
The guidelines ESOPE 2018 are the global benchmark for its application in skin tumors.
It is particularly effective for the treatment of skin and subcutaneous tumors, including lesions located on the head and neck, scalp, eyelids, nose, ears, mouth, neck, extremities, hands, soles of the feet, and anogenital region.
It can be used for basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and keloids. For other conditions, the indication is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Currently, electrochemotherapy is primarily indicated for skin or subcutaneous lesions.
Its use in tumors of internal organs is still under investigation and is not part of standard clinical practice.
Yes.
Electrochemotherapy can be used in combination with surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or other systemic treatments.
Your doctor will determine the best treatment strategy based on your specific case.
In most cases, a single session is sufficient to achieve the therapeutic effect.
For very large or multiple lesions, an additional session may be recommended. If necessary, further sessions can be performed without any issues.
Electrochemotherapy is performed in the operating room on an outpatient basis.
The procedure takes between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the size and location of the lesion, and allows patients to go home the same day with simple aftercare instructions.
The lesion begins to improve gradually during the first few weeks.
The best response is usually seen around 30 days, although each case is evaluated individually.
