Hyperthermia Therapy

Overview

Hyperthermia therapy is an innovative cancer treatment that utilizes heat to destroy cancer cells and reduce tumors. This method can enhance the effectiveness of other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Also known as thermal therapy or thermotherapy, hyperthermia therapy is currently under investigation and undergoing clinical trials, making it not yet widely available.

Types of hyperthermia therapy

Local hyperthermia therapy

Local hyperthermia therapy targets a small, specific area, such as a tumor. The heat is delivered using energy sources like radio waves, electromagnetic waves, or ultrasound waves. It is most effective for:

• Small tumors located in or just beneath the skin.
• Tumors in small body cavities.
• Tumors too deep in the body for surgical intervention.

Examples of local hyperthermia therapy include:

• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): Used for tumors in the liver, kidneys, and lungs.
• Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT): Applied for deep brain tumors.

Regional hyperthermia therapy

Regional hyperthermia therapy targets larger areas of the body, often in conjunction with chemotherapy. This treatment is used for tumors within body cavities, organs, or limbs and can take several forms:

• Deep tissue therapy: High-energy waves are directed at organs in a cavity, such as the bladder or cervix.
• Regional perfusion: Involves filling an entire cavity or limb with heat. This can include:
  • Removing blood, heating it, and then returning it to the body.
  • Filling a body part with heated chemotherapy. This method treats cancers like melanomas (skin cancers) or sarcomas (cancers that start in the bones or soft tissues).
• Hyperthermia intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): Treats cancers in the peritoneal cavity, which includes the intestines, stomach, and liver. This is performed during or after surgery by heating the chemotherapy and pumping it into the abdomen.

Whole-body hyperthermia therapy

Whole-body hyperthermia therapy is used when cancer has metastasized (spread) throughout the body. Various methods can heat the entire body, including:

• Heated blankets
• Incubators
• Warm water baths

Some patients may undergo fever-range, whole-body hyperthermia, which involves a short, controlled fever to trigger the immune system to fight cancer cells.

Reasons for undergoing the procedure

The following conditions may benefit from hyperthermia therapy:

• Deep tumors that cannot be treated surgically.
• Medical issues that keep you from undergoing surgery.
• Tiny tumors close to the skin’s surface.
• Internal body cavity tumors.

Risks

Hyperthermia therapeutic risks could include:

• Diarrhea.
• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Blood clots.
• vomiting and nauseous.
• Your skin blisters or burns.
• Damage or enlargement of tissue.
• Injury to the nerves and muscles.
• Soreness at the treatment location.
• Rarely, issues with your heart, blood vessels, or other organs can result from a full-body heat wave.

Before the procedure

The doctor will plan your hyperthermia therapy, deciding on the type and sequence of treatments you will receive. For instance, some patients undergo hyperthermia therapy followed immediately by radiation therapy, while others may receive treatments like Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) simultaneously with surgery. The team also determines the appropriate temperature for your treatment, which can reach up to 113°F.

In some cases, a procedure is needed before regional hyperthermia therapy to implant a catheter and a port. The catheter, a thin and flexible tube, is inserted directly into a body cavity such as the abdomen and connects to a port, a small tube located under the skin. This setup allows your docor to deliver heated chemotherapy directly through the port, reducing the need for multiple needle sticks.

Before starting hyperthermia therapy, your doctor may also:

• Inquire as to the possibility that you are pregnant.
• Give you guidelines on what to eat and drink prior to the surgery.
• To ensure that you are well enough to get treatment, request blood testing.
• Conduct imaging tests, like a computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound. These identify the precise area that need medical attention. By doing this, the possibility of harming the healthy tissues around the tumor is decreased.
• Advise you to cease taking a specific drug prior to receiving therapy. These could consist of blood-thinning drugs.
• Make arrangements for a ride home following your hyperthermia therapy procedure on the day of the treatment.

During the procedure

Depending on the type of therapy needed, your doctor will administer hyperthermia treatment accordingly. The duration of these treatments can range from ten minutes to several hours. Specialized thermometers are employed in all forms of hyperthermia therapy to monitor and regulate your body temperature.

Local hyperthermia therapy

In noninvasive external therapies like Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) or Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT), your doctor uses a machine to direct high-energy waves toward the tumor without the need for skin incisions. Local anesthetic is administered to ensure your comfort during the procedure.
Alternatively, treatments such as RFA or LITT involve direct heating of the tumor by inserting a needle-like probe under the skin. The probe’s tip releases an electric current to warm the tumor upon reaching it. General anesthesia may be used to induce sleep during these procedures.

Regional hyperthermia therapy

In regional therapy, potent chemotherapy is injected into bodily cavities or limbs. Many patients undergo this treatment under general anesthesia during surgery.
For procedures like HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy), after tumor removal, warm chemotherapy is infused into the abdomen to eradicate remaining cancer cells.

In limb perfusion, warm chemotherapy is delivered to the extremities through a catheter. This technique requires surgery because it involves temporarily cutting off blood flow to the limbs from the rest of the body.

Whole-body hyperthermia therapy

Your doctor gradually raises your body temperature to around 104 degrees Fahrenheit and maintains it for at least half an hour. Afterward, they gradually lower your body temperature back to normal. Chemotherapy may be given through a catheter following the heat treatment. Throughout this process, even under light sedation, you remain responsive to stimuli despite feeling relaxed and fatigued.

After the procedure

Hyperthermia therapy alone is often an outpatient procedure, allowing you to return home the same day. However, if hyperthermia therapy is combined with surgery, you may need to spend a night or several days in the hospital as part of the typical recovery process. Depending on the specific therapy received, you may resume regular activities within a few days, but recovery from surgery can take several weeks.

During your recovery, your doctor may prescribe painkillers as needed. Periodic imaging exams or blood tests every few months help monitor the presence of cancer cells in your body and assess tumor shrinkage.

Outcome

Hyperthermia treatments are relatively recent and are still undergoing clinical trials for various applications. Research continues to investigate whether elevated temperatures can positively impact long-term outcomes for cancer patients.

Some studies suggest that heat therapy, when combined with treatments such as chemotherapy, can shrink tumors. However, the overall impact of hyperthermia therapy on improving patient survival rates remains uncertain and requires further investigation.