Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment (Apr 2021)

Literature Review and Our Experience With Bleomycin-Based Electrochemotherapy for Cutaneous Vulvar Metastases From Endometrial Cancer

  • Sebastjan Merlo MD, PhD,
  • Gregor Vivod MD,
  • Sonja Bebar MD,
  • Maša Bošnjak PhD,
  • Maja Čemažar PhD,
  • Gregor Serša PhD,
  • Simona Kranjc Brezar PhD,
  • Nina Kovačević MD, PhD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/15330338211010134
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20

Abstract

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Endometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological malignancy and the fifth most common malignancy in women. The worldwide incidence is 15.9 new cases per 100,000 women per year, and the incidence in Europe is 22.7 new cases. Minority of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease. Cutaneous metastases are very rare with a prevalence of 0.8%. If cutaneous metastases are present, the prognosis is poor with an overall survival of up to 12 months. In this review, we presented clinical data on treatment of gynecological cancers with electrochemotherapy, with focus on treatment of cutaneous vulvar metastases from endometrial cancer. Further, we present our data on the case of a 64-year-old woman with recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma with vulvar skin metastases. Treatment of endometrial carcinoma metastases is multimodal with surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. There is still no consensus about the specific treatment of cutaneous metastases from endometrial cancer, in particular in order to release symptoms. Electrochemotherapy may be a treatment option to reduce pain and bleeding and a safe option to treat multiple skin metastases.