Histological evaluation of the effects of electropermeabilization after administration of bleomycin on bladder cancer in the rat.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of an electropermeabilization method in the administration of a chemotherapeutic agent in bladder cancer in the rat.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

N-Butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine was used to induce bladder tumors in Wistar rats. Rats in group 1 were given a sham treatment. Rats in group 2 received an injection of bleomycin (BLM). Rats in group 3 received a series of eight 100- micros square-wave pulses at an electric field intensity of 1,000 V/cm (electropermeabilization) applied to the bladder. Rats in group 4 were treated with square-wave pulses after the injection of BLM. Nine days after the various treatments, all the bladders were removed and examined histopathologically.

RESULTS

Histopathological examination revealed severe damage to tumors in group 4 exclusively.

CONCLUSION

The cytotoxic effect of BLM on bladder cancer tissue was enhanced by electropermeabilization.