Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42020622›Full record

SynthesisEuropean radiology2026

Electrochemotherapy in pediatrics: a systematic review.

M A Formstone, J J Neville, A N Smith, A C Sedgwick, I Diez-Perez, P A Patel, J Anderson, S Giuliani

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

8 authors.

M A FormstoneFaculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. mf1n21@soton.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8320-1996
J J NevilleCancer Section, Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
A N SmithDepartment of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK.
A C SedgwickDepartment of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK.
I Diez-PerezDepartment of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK.
P A PatelInterventional Radiology, Radiology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, London, UK.
J AndersonCancer Section, Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
S GiulianiCancer Section, Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo systematically review the available evidence on electrochemotherapy (ECT) in pediatric patients, focusing on indications, treatment parameters, efficacy, and safety. MATERIALS AND

methodsA systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024575588). MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched. Studies reporting the use of ECT in patients ≤ 18 years were included. Data extraction covered patient demographics, pathologies, electroporation parameters, agents used, and outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I.

resultsOut of 1579 screened studies, 15 met the inclusion criteria, reporting at least 127 pediatric patients. Age was provided for 98 patients (pooled mean 8.5 years, range 0-17) and sex for 108 (58 female, 50 male). Two studies described tumors; the remainder reported vascular anomalies (VAs). Reversible electroporation with intralesional or intravenous bleomycin was the most common protocol. Complete response rates for tumors were 97-100%. Pooled volume reductions in VAs ranged from 52% to 100%. Most complications were minor, though serious events occurred, including sciatic nerve injury, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and airway compromise. Methodological quality was low, with small sample sizes and inconsistent reporting of multiple parameters.

conclusionECT is in the early stages of development but shows promising efficacy as a treatment for tumors and VAs in children. Preliminary data suggest favorable responses in children, although direct comparison with adults is limited. Further research is essential to establish standardized treatment guidelines, optimize safety, and define the role of ECT within pediatric oncology and interventional radiology. A minimum reporting dataset is proposed. KEY POINTS: Question Explain the unmet need/clinical problem your study addresses. What is the current evidence regarding indications, efficacy, safety, and treatment parameters of ECT in pediatric patients? Findings Fifteen studies, including 127 children, report high response rates for tumors and VAs, but evidence is limited by small cohorts and heterogeneous reporting. Clinical relevance ECT shows promise as a minimally invasive treatment for selected pediatric tumors and VAs, but standardized protocols and large prospective studies are required before broader clinical adoption in pediatric oncology and interventional radiology.

Indexed as

ElectrochemotherapyNeoplasmsPediatricsAdolescentBleomycinChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleTreatment OutcomeBleomycinElectrochemotherapyInterventionalOncologyPediatricsVascular

Identifiers

PMID42020622
PMCPMC13451310

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.