Vascular lesions following perfusion with bleomycin. Electron-microscopic observations

During intra-arterial perfusion therapy of oral squamous cell carcinomas with bleomycin, circumscribed necrotic areas in the perfused region are observed in a few cases. These are usually located in the acral regions. As the cause, a lesion of the blood vessels with formation of microthrombosis could be demonstrated. Electron-microscopic observations of the blood vessels in five bleomycin-perfused tumor areas demonstrated lesions of the endothelium characterized by swelling of the cells, formation of intracytoplasmatic vacuoles and villous projections into the lumen of the vessel. In arterioles, separation of the endothelium from the underlying tissue, swollen smooth muscle cells and destruction of elastic lamellae were found. These were the pacemakers for the formation of thrombosis. A negative influence of the vascular lesions on the cytostatic effect on the tumor is likely. Vascular lesions also constitute one of the initial factors for the development of the bleomycin-induced lung lesion (bleomycin lung).