Thermoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced and recurrent breast cancers

From August 1979 through January 1988 23 breast cancer patients with 25 tumors thought to be refractory to conventional treatment were treated by thermoradiotherapy. Of the 25 tumors, then were locally advanced primary tumors (group 1), four locally advanced recurrent tumors after operation more than 5 cm in maximal diameter (group 2), and 11 locally recurrent tumors after radiation therapy (group 3). The local control rate in group 2 and the local response rate (CR+PRa) in group 1 were higher than those of the historically controlled tumors. In group 3, thermoradiotherapy showed a high local response rate similar to radiation therapy alone regardless of the lower total doses of radiation. Thus local hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy seems to be more effective than radiation therapy alone for locally advanced and recurrent breast cancers