New Study shows that Radiated Hyperthermia is superior to Capacitive Hyperthermia in the Treatment of Superficial Cancerous Tumors. Clinical data demonstrate that adding superficial hyperthermia treatment to radiation in the treatment of Recurrent Chest Wall Tumors (breast cancer) and malignant melanoma can double* the complete response (tumor eliminated) rate. Add Hyperthermia, Your chances of beating cancer DOUBLES!
The downside, not everyone who claims to offer hyperthermia can deliver this potentially life-saving benefit. It essentially comes down to two heat delivery methodologies; Capacitive vs. Radiated Electromagnetic Fields. In a recent comparison study at the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Amsterdam, researchers H.P. Kok and J. Crezee compare hyperthermia systems made by Pyrexar, ALBA, Oncotherm, Celcius 42 and Thermotron. SPOILER ALERT: Pyrexar’s BSD-500 Superficial Hyperthermia system is the only one among the methods tested to earn FDA Approval.
| Feature | Radiated Microwave | Capacitive | ||
| Pyrexar | Oncotherm | Celcius 42 | Thermotron | |
| FDA Approved | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Temperature Probes & Monitoring | YES | NO | NO | YES |
| SAR based tumor temp. | YES | NO | YES | YES |
| Phase III published clinical studies HT+RT | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Made in the USA | YES | NO | NO | NO |
Pyrexar uses radiated microwave/radio frequency to pass energy into the body and absorbed by the tissue as heat. This heat delivery can be measured and compared using a numerical value called a SAR (Specific Absorption Rate). The primary benefit of choosing a hyperthermia system using frequency radiated field is that the energy can be transmitted from the antenna to the cancer tumor without getting stuck in the fat layer. Capacitive heating techniques used in Oncotherm, Celsius 42, and Thermotron have difficulty passing through the fat layer. This often results in the super-heating of the fat layer, causing patient discomfort and blocking the tumor from receiving a therapeutic dose of heat.
Capacitive systems often claim they heat, just not where it will do the patient the most good if there is superficial fat over the tumor. More fatty tissue in the treatment area equals poor results. Oncotherm claims they avoid overheating of the fat tissues of the surface by limiting the radio frequency power from their capacitive electrodes. Technology speaks for they don't heat, hoping to rely on their claimed non-thermal effects for the treatment.
The conclusion from the report, “This study showed that radiative hyperthermia yields more favorable SAR and temperature distributions for superficial tumor locations, compared with capacitive heating, especially within heterogeneous tissues. With radiative heating, higher tumor temperatures can be achieved without inducing treatment-limiting hot spots, which will benefit clinical outcome.”
View the entire report “A comparison of the heating characteristics of capacitive and radiative superficial hyperthermia” in the International Journal of Hyperthermia, 2017.
* statement based on published Phase III Clinical Studies