Elecrochemical lysis in the therapy of prostate cancer (experimental study)

Introduction. Minimally invasive treatment of prostate cancer includes the method of electrochemical lysis, which causes damage to cells as a result of redox reactions caused by exposure to a low-energy direct current. The study objective is to evaluate the histopathological outcomes in cancer tissue and prostate tissue after electrochemical lysis. Materials and methods. Its efficacy for prostate cancer was assessed in removed prostate glands of men with prostate cancer (n=12) by applying 2 plate electrodes to deliver current with a power of 50-70 mA and a voltage of 10 V for 180 min. Results. Changes at electrode-tumor junctions were immediate, with dryness at the anode and oedema at the cathode. The electrochemical ablation zones were characterized as areas coagulation necrosis at the anode, colliquation necrosis at the cathode. The ablation zone was well demarcated, showing trenchant delineations between viable and nonviable tissue. The size of areas necrosis corresponded to the area of the electrodes. The depth of tissue damage was 1.7 ± 0.8 mm (0.9 to 2.5 mm) at the cathode and 4.8 ± 1.7 mm (2.1 to 7.6 mm) at the anode. Microscopically, coagulation necrosis of tissues was detected at the anode and colliquation necrosis was detected at the cathode . The electrochemical ablation zones occurred in both tumor tissue and prostate tissue. Conclusions. Histopathological assessment of the prostate after electrochemical lysis Showed necrotic tissue in the ablation zone. No viable tissue was observed in the electrochemical lysis ablation zone. The results obtained are preliminary and need to be further evaluated in clinical trials.