Clinical significance of combined use of radiation therapy and hyperthermia

Sixty-eight cases of cancer were treated by combined use of Thermotron RF-8 hyperthermia and radiotherapy, and 16 cases by combined use of hyperthermia and anti-cancer drug. Shallow-seated tumor at a depth of 7 cm or less from the skin surface was present in 43 cases. Most of these were metastatic tumors of lymphnode, chest wall and abdominal wall. The effect of treatment was evaluable in 40 cases, the breakdown being as follows: CR 21 cases 53 %, PR 13 cases 40 %, and NR 3 cases 7 %. The effectiveness ratios (CR + PRa) were as follows: adenocarcinoma 13 cases out of 18, 72 %; squamous cell carcinoma 12 cases out of 15, 80 %. Out of 19 cases of tumor 5.9 cm or smaller, 17 cases obtained CR. Out of 17 cases of tumor 6 cm or larger, there were 5 cases of CR. Cases of larger-sized tumor thus showed a poorer effect of treatment. Nine cases of recurrence after radiotherapy were treated by combined use of hyperthermia and radiotherapy. Irradiation of 20 to 40 Gy was combined with 5 to 10 rounds of hyperthermia. The effectiveness ratio was 78 %, i.e., 7 cases out of 9. Cases of recurrence of radio-resistant tumor after radiotherapy responded well to low-dose irradiation. Twenty-two cases of deep-seated tumor were treated with the combined use of radiation therapy and hyperthermia. They comprised 10 cases of rectal cancer, 3 cases each of gastric cancer and uterine cancer, 2 cases each of lung cancer and sarcoma, and 2 cases involving other reglons. The treatment results were: 3 cases each of CR, 15 cases of PR, and 4 cases of NR. The effectiveness ratio (CR + PRa) was 8 cases out of 22, i.e., 36 %. Systemic administration of anti-cancer drug was combined with hyperthermia, and 16 cases were treated. The treatment results were; one case of CR, 4 cases of PR, 6 cases of MR, 3 cases of NC, and 2 cases of PD. More cases of lymph node tumor showed excellent results. (J.P.N.)