Optimal dose-response relationship in electrolytic ablation of tumorswith a one-probe-two-electrode device

E. LUJAN; H. SCHINCA; N. OLAIZ; S. URQUIZA; F. MOLINA; P TURJANSKI; G. MARSHALL

ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015 vol. 186 p. 494 - 503

0013-4686

tElectrolytic ablation (EA), a medical treatment used in solid tumor ablation due to its minimum sideeffects and low cost, consists in the passage of a low constant electric current through two or moreelectrodes inserted in the tissue thus inducing pH fronts that produce tumor necrosis. Combined witha recently introduced one-probe two electrode device (OPTED) this procedure results in a minimallyinvasive treatment. Despite its success, EA has drawbacks such as the difficulties in determining theoptimum dose-response relationship between the applied current, treatment time and necrotized tumorvolume (NTV) and choosing a reliable dose parameter. In this work, a theoretical model is introduceddescribing the EA/OPTED as an electrolytic process and the underlying electrochemical reactions throughthe Nernst-Planck equations for ion transport. Model results show that the coulomb dosage is a reliabledose parameter and predicts an optimal dose-response relationship for a given tumor size subjectedto an EA/OPTED, considering the optimum as the minimum coulomb dosage necessary to achieve totaltumor destruction while minimizing healthy tissue damage. Moreover, it predicts a nonlinear relationshipbetween coulomb dosage and NTV, dosage and NTV scaling as Q1.4. Consequently, these results couldhave a significant impact on dose planning methodology aimed at improving the effectiveness of theelectrolytic ablation.