Enhanced anti-tumour effect of cisplatin with low-voltage electrochemotherapy in hamster oral fibrosarcoma

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of low-voltage electrochemotherapy with intraperitoneal cisplatin on hamster oral fibrosarcoma. Oral fibrosarcoma was transplanted submucosally into the cheek pouch mucosa of 100 hamsters. After transplantation, the hamsters were randomly divided into four equal groups. These groups received no treatment (D-E-); 2 mg/kg body weight cisplatin treatment without electroporation (D+E-); electroporation without cisplatin treatment (D-E+); or 2 mg/kg body weight cisplatin treatment followed by electroporation (D+E+). Electrical pulse treatment together with cisplatin injection markedly reduced the size of the tumour, whereas cisplatin injection or electrical pulse treatment alone did not. These results clearly indicate that the anti-tumour effect of cisplatin on hamster oral fibrosarcoma was considerably potentiated or enhanced by the administration of local electrical pulses at low voltages.