Electrochemotherapy of cholangiocellular carcinoma at hepatic hilum: a case report

V. Granata, R. Palaia, V. Albino, M. Piccirillo, S. Venanzio Setola, A. Petrillo, F. Izzo

Division of Radiology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples, Italy. v.granata@istitutotumori.na.it

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• Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma. The current standard palliative treatment, chemotherapy regimen with gemcitabine and cisplatin, prolongs overall survival only of a few months. Established locoregional therapies are not a curative option or an alternative to surgery in the treatment of CCA. We report a case of a patient affected by a cholangiocellular carcinoma at hepatic hilum treated by Electrochemotherapy (ECT) at our oncologic center.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 71 years old male affected by a CCA at hepatic hilum was treated with ECT according to ESOPE guidelines. No complications occurred during ECT procedure. The patient was discharged after 10 days. The functional MR evaluation at 2 and at 4 months post-treatment showed a significant response without significant post-treatment adverse events. The Computed tomography (CT) assessment after 18 months did not show progression of disease.

CONCLUSIONS: ECT is safe and its use could be suggested as a palliative treatment of advanced neoplastic lesions in which radical surgical treatment is not possible.

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