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-µs 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.