Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41401060›Full record

ArticleRadiology and oncology2025

Prostate cancer treatment with electrochemotherapy (ECT): safety, efficacy and clinical experience in 144 patients.

Mara Stevanovic, Mathias Heringer, Mohammad Hjouj, Alessandro Zanasi, Francesca de Terlizzi, Michael K Stehling

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Radiology and oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. 3,3'-Di-O-methylellagic Acid Isolated fromPharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mara Stevanovic1VITUS Privatklinik, Offenbach, Germany.
Mathias Heringer1VITUS Privatklinik, Offenbach, Germany.
Mohammad Hjouj2Department of Medical Imaging, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem.
Alessandro Zanasi3IGEA S.p.a. Biophysics Lab. Carpi, Modena, Italy.
Francesca de Terlizzi3IGEA S.p.a. Biophysics Lab. Carpi, Modena, Italy.
Michael K Stehling1VITUS Privatklinik, Offenbach, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProstate cancer (PCa) is a common cancer in men in developed countries. PCa treatment depends on the disease's stage; focal therapy provides an intermediate approach, with lower toxicity compared to radical prostatectomy, and better tumor control than active surveillance. We report the first retrospective analysis of prostate cancer patients treated with ECT at our institution. PATIENTS AND

methodsA cohort of 144 men with prostate cancer who were ineligible for or refused standard therapies were included and treated with ECT. Routine follow-up included PSA tests and MRI scans, as well as toxicity and genitourinary function evaluation by means of standard questionnaires. Local response was evaluated with MRI at 3 months after treatment, following the RECIST criteria for solid tumors.

resultsThe procedure was technically successful in all patients and was well tolerated, with mild and temporary adverse events. Urinary and erectile functions were mostly preserved. A complete response was observed in 75% of evaluated patients, a partial response in 18%, stable disease in 5%, and disease progression in 2%. Short-term response was associated with TNM stage (p < 0.05), Gleason score (p = 0.0066), and pre-ECT PSA levels (p = 0.0070). During follow-up, 18 patients (13%) experienced disease progression; 1-year PFS was 88% (95% CI: 80%-97%) and was found to be significantly associated with tumor stage and pre-treatment PSA levels.

conclusionsECT is a feasible, safe, and effective treatment for prostate cancer, with extremely low toxicity and side effects. Preliminary results suggest that it offers promising outcomes in terms of local disease control in early-stage tumors, but also in locally advanced cases where other treatments may not be viable.

Indexed as

ElectrochemotherapyProstatic NeoplasmsAgedAged, 80 and overHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingProstate-Specific AntigenRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeProstate-Specific Antigenelectrochemotherapyfocal therapylocal progression free survivallocal therapyprostate cancer

Identifiers

PMID41401060
PMCPMC12707453

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.