Hyperthermia
What is Hyperthermia?
Hyperthermia is a therapy used to heat tumors. Research has shown that heat can damage cancer cells while also increasing the effect of radiation therapy in treating some tumors that are recurrent or progressive despite conventional therapy.
While it has been known for hundreds of years that fevers can kill cancer cells, only recently has technology been developed that can control and
focus heat specifically on tumors. Hyperthermia treatments are typically given in Radiation Oncology departments several times a week either before or after radiation therapy Each treatment session lasts for approximately one hour.
Recurrent Cancer Management Using Hyperthermia
The BSD-500 Hyperthermia System has been approved by the FDA for use alone or in conjunction with radiation therapy in the palliative management
of certain solid surface and subsurface malignant tumors (i.e., melanoma, squamousor basal-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or sarcoma) that are
progressive or recurrent despite conventional therapy Clinical studies using BSD’s hyperthermia systems in conjunction with radiation therapy
have shown that 83.7% of patients had some tumor regression (reduction), 37-4 % of patients had a complete tumor regression and 24.5% had a greater than 50% tumor regression. The primary types of tumors included in this study were recurrent chest wall cancer, recurrent head and neck cancer, recurrent melanoma, and recurrent sarcoma.
Although hyperthermia has the potential for producing a variety of adverse effects, those regularly observed during clinical studies have been limited to the direct effects of heating upon tissue and indirect effects related to the tumor including burns (9.9%), pain (8 -4%), ulceration (3.6%) and infection (1.8%). Please talk with your physician regarding hyperthermia therapy.
How Does Hyperthermia Therapy Work?
Using focused microwave energy; the tumor is heated to approximately I08°F. Performed superficially or via interstitial probes, heat can damage cancer cells at levels that are usually safe for normal cells, and can be used to attack cancer in four major ways:
- First, heat damages or weakens the cells of the tumor.
- Second, heat increases blood flow through the weakened tumor, which can allow radiation therapies to permeate the tumor, not just attack it from the outside.
- Third, increased blood flow raises oxygen levels in tumors so that the cancer can be more effectively treated by radiation therapy.
- Fourth, when the body senses fever it can stimulate the natural immune system.
For these reasons, hyperthermia is usually used in combination with radiation therapy.
Is Hyperthermia Covered By Medicare and Private Insurance?
Although many insurance carriers pay for hyperthermia treatment for some tumors, you should always check with your physician to make sure that your therapy will be covered.