Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T17:01:58.909Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The use of hyperthermia to overcome tumour hypoxia in the treatment of advanced breast cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2008

Helen Netherton*
Affiliation:
Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK
*
Correspondence to: Helen Netherton, Senior 1 Radiographer/Lecturer Practitioner, Royal Marsden Hospital, London, UK. Email: helen.netherton@rmh.nhs.uk

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to explore the literature on the use of hyperthermia (HT) in advanced breast cancer.

Methods: A literature search was conducted to obtain information from recent trials of HT and/or chemotherapy (CH) and radiotherapy (RT) for patients with locally recurrent breast carcinoma. Issues concerned with patient compliance and side effects have also been reviewed and future recommendations for research made.

Results: Results of recent trials have demonstrated promising outcomes for HT and RT in combination, particularly for recurrent disease to improve local control (LC). There is no evidence, however, to support a positive effect on overall survival.

Conclusions: Despite positive results HT has not been widely embraced, due to financial and logistical limitations. Future recommendations include larger, randomised, controlled studies and the development of temperature mapping to avoid potentially limiting HT blisters.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Jones, EL, Prosnitz, LR, Dewhirst, MW et al. Thermochemoradiotherapy improves oxygenation in locally advanced breast cancer, Clin Cancer Res 2004; 10:42874293.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Feyerabend, T, Wiedermann, GJ, Jager, B, Vesely, H, Mahlmann, B, Richter, E.Local hyperthermia, radiation, and chemotherapy in recurrent breast cancer is feasible and effective except for inflammatory disease, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2001; 49:13171325.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Welz, S, Hehr, T, Lamprecht, U, Scheithauer, H, Budach, W, Bamberg, M.Thermoradiotherapy of the chest wall in locally advanced or recurrent breast cancer with marginal resection, Int J Hyperthermia 2005;21:159167.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zaffaroni, N, Fiorentini, G, De Giorgi, U.Hyperthermia and hypoxia: new developments in anticancer chemotherapy, Eur J Surg Oncol 2001; 27:340342.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Steel, GG.Basic Clinical Radiobiology, 3rd edition London:Arnold, 2001.Google Scholar
Corry, PM, Armour, EP.The heat shock response: Role in radiation biology and cancer therapy, Int J Hyperthermia 2005;21:769778.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kapp, DS, Cox, RS, Barnett, TA, Ben-Yosef, R.Thermoradiotherapy for residual microscopic cancer: elective or post-excisional hyperthermia and radiation therapy in the management of local-regional recurrent breast cancer, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1992;24:261277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van der Zee, J.Heating the patient: a promising approach?, Ann Oncol 2002;13:11731184.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hand, JW, Lagendijk, JJW, Anderson, JB.Quality assurance guidelines for ESHO protocols, Int J Hyperthermia 1989; 5:421428.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
International Collaborative Hyperthermia Group.Radiotherapy with or without hyperthermia in the treatment of superficial localised breast cancer: results from five randomised controlled trials, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1996; 35:731744.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ben-Yosef, R, Vigler, N, Inbar, M, Vexler, A.Hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy in the treatment of local recurrent breast cancer, Iser Med Assoc J 2004; 6:392395.Google ScholarPubMed
Li, G, Mitsumori, M, Ogura, M et al. Local Hyperthermia combined with external irradiation for regional recurrent breast carcinoma, Int J Clin Oncol 2004; 9:179183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hehr, T, Lamprecht, U, Glocker, S, Classen Paulsen, F, Budach, W, Bamberg, M.Thermoradiotherapy for locally recurrent breast cancer with skin involvement, Int J Hyperthermia 2001; 17:291301.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sugarbaker, PH, Sugarbaker, C, Stephens, AD, Chang, D.Radiofrequency hyperthermia in the palliative treatment of mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin: optimising and monitoring heat delivery in western patients, Int J Hyperthermia 2000; 16:429441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sherar, M, Lui, F, Pintilie, M et al. Relationship between thermal dose and outcome in thermoradiotherapy treatments for superficial recurrences of breast cancer: Data from a phase 3 trial, Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1997; 39:371380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, EL, Oleson, JR, Prosnitz, LR et al. Randomised trial of hyperthermia and radiation for superficial tumours, J Clin Oncol 2005;23:30793085.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falk, MH, Issels, RD.Hyperthermia in oncology, Int J Hyperthermia 2001;17:118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fujimoto, S, Kobayashi, K, Takahashi, M et al. Clinical pilot studies on pre-operative hyperthermic tumour ablation for advanced breast carcinoma using an 8 MHz radiofrequency heating device, Int J Hyperthermia 2003;19:1322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yokoyama, G, Fujii, T, Ogo, E et al. Advanced chemoresistant breast cancer responding to multidisciplinary treatment with hyperthermia, radiotherapy, and intraarterial infusion, Int J Clin Oncol 2005;10:139143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed