Hyperthermia holds promise in enhancing cancer treatment, though it remains an experimental technique. Due to its need for specialized equipment and a skilled medical team, not all cancer treatment centers provide it. Ongoing clinical trials aim to refine and understand hyperthermia’s effectiveness, exploring its synergy with other cancer treatments. Research is focused on reaching deeper organs and untreated sites. Current studies investigate its potential for various cancers, including bladder, breast, cervical, endometrial, head and neck, esophagus, kidney, liver, lung, leukemias, melanoma, neuroblastoma, ovarian, pancreas, prostate, sarcomas, and thyroid cancers.
Hyperthermia is commonly combined with other cancer treatments, and numerous clinical trials demonstrate its effectiveness alongside radiation therapy and chemotherapy. This combination aids in tumor shrinkage and facilitates the destruction of cancer cells. In the process of hyperthermia treatment, the doctor numbs the targeted area and places small probes with miniature thermometers into the tumor. These thermometers allow precise monitoring of the tumor and surrounding tissue temperatures during treatment. Imaging methods, like CT scans, may be employed to ensure accurate probe placement.
Localized hyperthermia is employed to heat a specific area, such as a tumor, using very high temperatures to eliminate cancer cells and damage nearby blood vessels. This process essentially “cooks” the exposed area, with the degree of impact increasing with higher temperatures and longer exposure durations, similar to cooking. Thermal ablation involves treatments where extremely high temperatures cause irreversible cell damage, while milder hyperthermia involves smaller temperature increases. Various forms of energy, including radio waves, microwaves, and ultrasound waves, can be used for heating. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), also known as focused ultrasound, is a technique using ultrasound. Heat application methods include directing high-energy waves from outside the body toward a surface tumor or inserting a thin needle or probe directly into the tumor, releasing energy to heat the surrounding tissue.
In regional hyperthermia, doctors apply heat to broad body areas like cavities, organs, or limbs using techniques such as deep tissue methods, regional perfusion, and continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion.
Deep tissue techniques focus on cancers within the body, like cervical or bladder cancer, placing heat-delivering devices around the target area.
Regional perfusion treats cancers in limbs or certain organs like the liver or lung by removing some blood, heating it, and then returning it, often combined with chemotherapy.
Continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion, used for peritoneal cavity cancer, involves heated chemotherapy delivered during surgery, reaching temperatures of 106 to 108°F /40-42 °C.
The whole-body hyperthermia involves raising body temperature to enhance chemotherapy’s effectiveness in treating metastatic cancer. Methods include heating blankets, warm-water immersion, or thermal chambers, akin to large incubators. Patients undergoing whole-body hyperthermia may receive sedation or light anesthesia. Fever-range whole-body hyperthermia mimics a fever’s temperature increase, activating immune cells and elevating cell-killing compounds in the blood. Some studies experiment with higher temperatures, around 107°F / 41 °C, for brief periods. Additionally, research explores combining hyperthermia, chemotherapy, and immune-boosting treatments to combat cancer.
The potential side effects of hyperthermia vary based on the technique and the treated body part, with most being temporary, though some can be severe. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may result from whole-body and regional hyperthermia, while rare but more serious side effects can affect the heart, blood vessels, and major organs. When combined with other cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, side effects may manifest concurrently or later. Advances in technology and expertise have minimized side effects, making hyperthermia generally well-tolerated with few serious issues.
Hyperthermia therapies are relatively recent, with many still in the investigative stages through clinical trials. Ongoing studies aim to ascertain whether hyperthermia enhances long-term outcomes for individuals with cancer.
Some research indicates that combining heat therapy with treatments like chemotherapy can reduce tumor size. However, it remains uncertain whether hyperthermia therapy contributes to increased survival rates. The advantages of hyperthermia therapy include enhancing the effectiveness of other treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy, minimizing damage to surrounding tissues by specifically targeting tumors, providing a potential treatment for those unfit for surgery, and addressing tumors that are challenging to treat surgically.
