Clinical results of radiofrequency hyperthermia combined with radiation in the treatment of radioresistant cancers.

Clinical results of radiothermotherapy applied to 40 radioresistant tumors in 36 patients were reported. Hyperthermia was administered locally using two radiofrequency (RF) capacitive heating equipment systems developed in our institution under the collaboration of Yamamoto Vinyter Co. Ltd. Hyperthermia was given twice weekly immediately after irradiation. Intratumor temperatures of 41 degrees C to 44 degrees C were maintained for 30 to 60 minutes. Radiation doses varied from 32 Gy to 60 Gy. Of the 40 tumors treated, 21 (53%) showed complete response, 16 (40%) partial response, and 3 (7%) no response when the tumor response was assessed by tumor size measurement. Of eight patients who had matched tumors treated with either radiation alone or radiation plus hyperthermia, six patients showed better response in tumors treated with radiothermotherapy than in tumors treated with radiation alone. Skin reactions following radiothermotherapy and radiation alone were comparable. The tumor response was greatly dependent on the tumor size. Greater response was observed in small tumors, although histologic examinations and long-term follow-up studies revealed an excellent effect of radiothermotherapy on the large tumors as well as on the small tumors. Tumor responses correlated with tumor center temperatures but not with histologic features. Our clinical results indicate that RF hyperthermia combined with radiation has a therapeutic benefit in the treatment of radioresistant cancers.