Clinical results like the one below reveal that Chemotherapy treatment is more effective when combined with Hyperthermia. Hyperthermia warms the tumor to temperatures in the "fever range" which makes the cancer cells more sensitive to treatment. Normal healthy cells recover while cancer cells die.
Clinical Evidence
Tumor Entity:
Soft tissue sarcoma primary or locally recurrent both of the trunk and the extremities.
Treatment Modality:
Primary or locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma, both of the trunk and the extremities, were treated with 4 cycles of chemotherapy, Etoposide, Iphosphamide and Adriamycin, both pre and post local treatment. Patients were randomized to additional hyperthermia or not. All contributing centers have been using the BSD-2000 and BSD-2000-3D devices.
Disease Free Survival after 7 years (Issels 2010)
- Chemotherapy EIA alone: 21%
- Chemotherapy EIA plus Hyperthermia: 42%
Endorsements:
- ESMO European Society of Medical Oncology – level I, Europe
- NCCN National Cancer Center Network Treatment Guidelines – level 1B, USA
Chemotherapy and Hyperthermia:
When hyperthermia is combined with chemotherapy, general treatment guidelines of the ESHO European Society of Hyperthermic Oncology recommend:
- Target volume for hyperthermia: The target volume for hyperthermia is the gross tumor volume.
- Sequence of treatment modalities: Hyperthermia is given simultaneously with chemotherapy during cytostasis.
- Duration of hyperthermia treatment: Superficial hyperthermia total 60 minutes, deep hyperthermia total 90 minutes (including 30 minutes heating-up time)
References:
- R.D.Issels et al. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy alone or with regional hyperthermia for localised high-risk soft-tissue sarcoma: a randomised phase 3 multicentre study. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Jun;11(6):561-70.
- Issels RD. Regional hyperthermia in high-risk soft tissue sarcomas. Curr Opin Oncol. 2008 Jul;20(4):438-43.
- Issels et al. Regional hyperthermia (RHT) improves response and survival when combined with systemic chemotherapy in the management of locally advanced, high grade soft tissue sarcomas (STS) of the extremities, the body wall and the abdomen: A phase III randomised prospective trial (EORTC/ESHO intergroup trial). J Clin Oncol.. 2007; Volume 25, Issue 18S-June 20.
- Wendtner et al. Response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with regional hyperthermia predicts longterm survival for adult patients with retroperitoneal and visceral high-risk soft tissue sarcomas. J Clin Oncol. 2002 Jul 15;20(14):3156-64.
- ESMO / European Sarcoma Network Working Group: Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 2012 Oct;23 Suppl 7:vii92-9.
- NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™ Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Version 2.2011