Electrochemotherapy as a single or adjuvant treatment to surgery of cutaneous sarcoid tumours in horses: a 31-case retrospective study.
Authors: Tozon N, Kramaric P, Kos Kadunc V, Sersa G, Cemazar M
Journal: The Veterinary record
Summary
# Electrochemotherapy for Equine Sarcoids: Single-Agent and Combination Approaches Equine sarcoids represent a challenging clinical problem with high recurrence rates, necessitating exploration of novel treatment modalities beyond conventional surgery. This retrospective analysis evaluated electrochemotherapy (ECT) with cisplatin in 31 horses and one donkey, either as monotherapy for 52 tumour nodules or combined with marginal surgical excision followed by ECT for 18 nodules. Monotherapy achieved complete response in 92.3% of treated nodules (48/52) with partial response in the remainder, typically requiring one to three treatment sessions spaced four weeks apart, whilst the combined surgical-ECT approach yielded complete response in all 18 nodules; recurrence occurred in only one case per group during extended follow-up (60 months post-ECT monotherapy and 14 months post-combined treatment). ECT with cisplatin demonstrates efficacy as both a standalone and adjuvant modality, offering practitioners a minimally invasive alternative that may be particularly valuable for sarcoids in anatomically sensitive locations or where extensive surgical debulking would compromise function or cosmesis. The choice between monotherapy and combined approach should be informed by tumour size, location, and local tissue considerations, with this evidence supporting ECT as an effective component of an integrated treatment strategy for this recalcitrant condition.
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Practical Takeaways
- •ECT with cisplatin is a viable single treatment option for equine sarcoids with excellent response rates (92%), particularly useful for tumours where surgery would be cosmetically or functionally problematic
- •Combining marginal surgical excision with adjuvant ECT appears superior, achieving 100% complete response and may be preferred for larger or more aggressive lesions
- •Treatment requires multiple sessions spaced 4 weeks apart; practitioners should counsel owners on realistic timelines rather than expecting single-session resolution
Key Findings
- •Electrochemotherapy with cisplatin achieved 92.3% complete response rate (48/52 nodules) as single treatment in 18 animals
- •Combined surgical excision and adjuvant ECT achieved 100% complete response in all 18 nodules treated in 14 animals
- •Most cases required 1-3 treatment sessions at 4-week intervals to achieve measurable response
- •Recurrence rates were low: 1 case (1.9%) at 60 months with ECT alone and 1 case (5.6%) at 14 months with combined treatment