Long-term outcomes of reduced-dose bleomycin in electrochemotherapy for basal cell carcinoma in elderly patientsGrošelj, Aleš (Avtor) Jamšek, Črt (Avtor) Kranjc Brezar, Simona (Avtor) Čemažar, Maja (Avtor) Omerzel, Maša (Avtor) Pušnik, Luka (Avtor) Serša, Gregor (Avtor) bleomycinelectrochemotherapyhead and necknonmelanoma skin cancerElectrochemotherapy (ECT) is a minimally invasive treatment option for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is particularly advantageous in the elderly population. This study evaluated the long-term effects of treating BCC in older patients using ECT with a reduced dose of bleomycin (10,000 IU/m2) and compared the results to patients who received the standard dose of bleomycin (15,000 IU/m2). The retrospective analysis included 116 patients aged over 65 years with 257 histologically confirmed BCCs. Tumors were treated with either the standard dose (n = 82) or the reduced dose (n = 175) of bleomycin. The results showed that the recurrence rate was comparable between the groups, particularly in the first year after treatment. The reduced-dose group exhibited a greater recurrence rate after the first year, which may be attributed to a weaker local immune response due to the de-escalated dose of bleomycin. Nonetheless, administering a standard bleomycin dosage as a salvage treatment in the event of recurrence proved highly effective. These findings suggest that ECT with a reduced bleomycin dose is a viable option for treating BCC in elderly patients, particularly those with shorter life expectancy.20252025-11-25 14:43:52Neznano24311UDK: 616-006ISSN pri članku: 2045-2322DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-93104-3COBISS_ID: 234048259sl