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Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Operating Procedures of the Electrochemotherapy for Treatment of Tumor in Dogs and Cats

DOI: 10.3791/54760-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Understand electroporation mechanism for enhancing chemotherapy drug uptake in tumors
  • ✓ Perform electrochemotherapy procedure on canine and feline solid tumors
  • ✓ Administer cisplatin and apply electric pulses with proper timing and dosing
  • ✓ Assess tumor response at 1-week and 1-month post-treatment intervals
Protocol

Electrochemotherapy is the local treatment of solid tumors. The main mechanism is electroporation-mediated permeabilization of the tumor cells' membrane which enables increased internalization of cytostatics like bleomycin and cisplatin. Thus, antitumor effectiveness is potentiated at the site of the application of electric pulses to the tumors.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~1-2 hours per animal (procedure + anesthesia recovery); assessment over 4 weeks
Model organism
Domestic dog (Canis familiaris), Domestic cat (Felis catus)
Biosafety
BSL-2

Steps

1
Understand electrochemotherapy mechanism and rationale

Review electroporation-mediated membrane permeabilization and how electric pulses enhance cytostatic drug internalization (bleomycin, cisplatin) into tumor cells for potentiated antitumor effect.

▶ 00:16
2
Prepare equipment and patient for procedure

Set up electrochemotherapy apparatus, anesthesia, sterile field, and positioning of the tumor site for safe electrode placement and electric pulse application.

▶ 01:01
3
Administer cisplatin and apply electric pulses

Inject cisplatin intravenously or locally into tumor tissue, then apply precisely timed electric pulses to the tumor site using electrodes to facilitate drug permeabilization.

▶ 02:31
4
Assess tumor response at one week

Perform clinical examination and imaging of treated tumor to evaluate initial response, tumor size reduction, and tissue changes one week post-electrochemotherapy.

▶ 04:14
5
Assess long-term tumor response at one month

Conduct follow-up clinical and imaging assessment at one month to determine sustained tumor regression, necrosis, and overall treatment efficacy.

▶ 04:30
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