Oncological Hyperthermia is a technique that can be applied in several medical specialties, such as Neurosurgery, which acts as an adjuvant to classic cancer treatments, increasing the results of survival and quality of life of cancer patients. This treatment, which has existed as a therapeutic alternative for several decades, is recognized by a large part of the scientific community.
Indications for hyperthermia
Hyperthermia can be used in various specialties, since it is specifically indicated for malignant tumors at any stage and works as a complement to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, enhancing their effects.
Thus, oncological hyperthermia is considered the “Fourth Pillar” of oncology. When applied before radiotherapy, it can sensitize the tissues to optimize its action and, when applied after chemotherapy, it enhances its effects.
The application as monotherapy in those patients who do not want to be treated with conventional therapies is yielding excellent results. However, at present, instead of offering treatment with hyperthermia alone, there is a tendency to suggest a combined therapy using all the resources at our disposal.
Types of hyperthermia
There are two types of hyperthermia treatments: local hyperthermia and deep hyperthermia. Local hyperthermia is the pioneer and was developed several decades ago. It consists of slightly increasing the temperature of the area, but it is not sufficiently effective, since it does not manage to maintain this temperature in deeper areas to treat the pathology adequately. They are currently used in some cases of superficial pathologies, but are not suitable for treating deep tumors.
On the other hand, deep hyperthermia is capable of precisely reaching any part of the organism thanks to novel devices that allow the sustained application of a high temperature field, both in superficial and deep planes, respecting normal tissue and making possible the selective destruction of cancerous tissue.
Scientists around the world are working to develop new lines of research in the application of the medical hyperthermic field in neurological, musculoskeletal and some types of chronic degenerative lesions, as well as pathologies with an autoimmune background, among other promising applications. Publications in this regard will appear in the very near future to illustrate these exciting areas of cutting-edge research.
Hyperthermia: how it is applied
The technique consists of selectively providing a thermal field that focuses on the area where the malignant tumor is located. This application is completely painless, innocuous and has no incompatibility or side effects. It is carried out in sessions of between 45 and 90 minutes at 48-hour intervals for about four weeks. The standard treatment consists of three one-hour sessions per week for one month.
The benefits of this therapy for the patient are obvious, as it is a clean and fast treatment, with verifiable results in the very short term. In addition, it has no side effects of any kind and, if the situation requires it, it can be repeated without any limitation after a specific time interval.