Therapeutic potential of irreversible electroporation in sarcoma

Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2012 Feb;12(2):177-84. doi: 10.1586/era.11.211.

Abstract

Irreversible electroporation is a newly developed nonthermal tissue ablation technique in which certain short-duration electrical fields are used to permanently permeabilize the cell membrane to disrupt cellular homeostasis. This disruption of cellular homeostasis initiates apoptosis, which leads to permanent cell death. Sarcomas are generally divided into soft-tissue and bone sarcomas based on their different mesenchymal origins and anatomical locations. Each of these sarcomas present in different ways, exhibit different behaviors and prognoses, and present unique therapeutic challenges. In this article, a series of recently conducted irreversible electroporation treatment for sarcomas based on local nonthermal ablation are summarized, and the therapeutic potential of this newly developed technique is assessed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Ablation Techniques / methods*
  • Ablation Techniques / trends
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Cell Death / physiology
  • Chondrosarcoma / pathology
  • Chondrosarcoma / therapy
  • Electroporation / methods*
  • Electroporation / trends
  • Humans
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology
  • Osteosarcoma / therapy
  • Sarcoma / pathology
  • Sarcoma / therapy*
  • Treatment Outcome