Sunitinib potentiates the cytotoxic effect of electrochemotherapy in pancreatic carcinoma cells

Abstract

One of the new treatment options for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer is electrochemotherapy (ECT), a local ablative therapy that potentiates the entry of chemotherapeutic drugs into the cells, by the application of an electric field to the tumor. Its feasibility and safety were demonstrated in preclinical and clinical studies; however, there is a lack of preclinical studies assessing the actions of different drugs used in ECT, their mechanisms and interactions with other target drugs that are used in clinical practice.

Keywords

• electrochemotherapy
• ect
• pancreas
• sunitinib
• bleomycin
• tyrosine-kinase inhibitors
• pancreatic cancer