EndoVE endosCopic Treatment for Oesophageal and Gastric canceR

The use of electroporation has expanded over the last twenty years since its first clinically reported study in the treatment of head and neck cancer in 1991.

In electroporation short high-voltage pulses are delivered directly to the tumour which transiently permeabilises the cell membranes enabling targeted cell death and also allowing otherwise non-permeant chemotherapeutic drugs to enter the cancer cells. The parameters of a successful electroporation process are determined by the strength of the electric field and the duration of the electrical field exposure. ePORE and EndoVE deliver electroporation parameters which successfully electroporate cells in the reversible electroporation range, whilst eliminating muscular contractions. Both devices are CE marked and will be used within the definition of their intended use.

Currently over 150 sites in Europe are reported to be employing electroporation in the clinical management of head & neck, recurrent breast, malignant melanoma, colorectal, liver metastasis, pancreatic and inoperable glioma. The standard operating procedures for electroporation and electrochemotherapy were established during the EU funded ESOPE study which established the clinical application of electroporation in combination with cisplatin or bleomycin. The EndoVE device has already been used successfully in phase I studies in patients with inoperable oesophageal and colorectal cancer. No serious adverse events were noted with positive tumour regression observed after a single treatment.

A patient recruited to the study will be requested to attend a pre-study visit where informed consent will be obtained before proceeding to review medical history and conduct a full clinical examination, full blood count, EKG and assessment of tumour volume via a CT. The procedure will happen no later than 28 days after the pre-study visit - Day 0.

On the day of the procedure, a review of any changes which occurred since the pre-study visit will be conducted. The patient will be placed under General Anaesthetic or sedated before Bleomycin will be delivered intravenously. The patient will then be treated endoscopically with the EndoVE device. The EndoVE procedure should take no longer than 30 minutes. The patient will then be transferred to the step-down ward to monitor for any adverse events before being discharged. There will be a telephone follow up after 2 days, 7 days, 4 weeks and 8 weeks. The patient will be requested to attend the clinic for a 12-week follow up for clinical review,

Inclusion criteria

• Histologically verified oesophageal tumour
• Men or women aged at least 18 years of age.
• Patient has already received or been considered for surgery, and / or chemo-radiation.
• Performance status (Karnofsky > 60% or ECOG/WHO <2).
• Treatment free interval of at least 2 weeks after previously applied therapy.
• Patients must be mentally capable of understanding the information given.
• Patients must give written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Coagulation disorder.
• Patients with a clinically manifested arrhythmia or with a pacemaker.
• Patients with oesophageal stenosis that cannot be relieved via balloon dilation.
• Oesophageal tumour treated with radiotherapy in the previous 4 weeks.
• Patients with epilepsy.
• Pregnancy or lactation/breastfeeding.
• Patients known to be Hepatitis B/C or HIV positive.
• Concurrent treatment with an investigational medicinal product or participation in another clinical study.
• Patients with any other clinical condition or prior therapy that, in the opinion of the investigator, would make the patient unsuitable for the study or unable to comply with the study requirements.
• Highly ulcerated oesophageal tissue.
• Contraindications for bleomycin use including acute pulmonary infection and severe pulmonary disease.
• Allergic reactions to bleomycin observed previously
• If a bleomycin cumulative dose of 400 x103 IU has been exceeded