Current Status and Future Directions of Hyperthermia at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health

Abstract

Hyperthermia(HT)using a 8-MHz radiofrequency-capacitive heating device at University of Occupational and Environmental Health(UOEH)was initiated in 1988,and over 1000 patients have been treated with HT. The heat had been performed by radiation oncologist for long period. In recent years, it has been supported by medical engineer and nurse as instructed in radiation oncologist. Basically,HT has been performed concurrent with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy,and the combined therapy of systemic chemotherapy with regional HT has been increasing since 2004. Recently,advances in physics for radiotherapy cause a significant improvement of tumor control rates. However, a further improvement of the local tumor control rate is still demanded for a lot of locally advanced cancer or loco-regional recurrent cancer. The regional HT may remain important role for those advanced tumors. In the patients with locally advanced lung or esophageal cancers, the combined therapy of chemoradiotherapy and regional HT has been used actively at UOEH. In addition,we have tried the adding of regional HT in the patients with the limited treatment choices,such as re-irradiation for the patients with in-field recurrence, and re-administration of chemotherapy for multidrug-resistant cases. Here,we review current status of HT,especially for heating methods of deep regional HT,at UOEH,and discuss future direction for deep regional HT to improve clinical outcome of HT inclusive therapy.