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There are many types of treatments for cancer such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. As science continues to evolve, many new treatments are going through clinical trials and becoming more widely available. A great example is hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is when the body has an abnormally high temperature, but it actually can be used as a type of cancer treatment in which the body is exposed to temperatures up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Hyperthermia is usually combined with other types of cancer therapy because it makes some cancer cells more sensitive to radiation, attacking cancer cells that radiation cannot damage. The high temperatures of hyperthermia can kill cancer cells, damage proteins, and structures within the cells. There are three main types of hyperthermia treatments: local, regional, and whole-body hyperthermia. Local hyperthermia is when heat is applied to a small area, most likely a tumor, using microwave, radiofrequency, or ultrasound. On the other hand, regional and whole-body hyperthermia is used to heat large areas of the body and treat metastatic cancer that spread throughout the body. While regional and whole-body hyperthermia sound similar they are actually quite different. Regional hyperthermia is used to treat cancers deep within the body such as cervical, liver, and stomach cancer. Within regional hyperthermia there are deep tissue, regional perfusion, and continuous hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion (CHPP), that target specific areas. Each of these techniques are very unique. In deep tissue regional hyperthermia, the external applicators positioned around body cavity or organ and microwave/radiofrequency are focused on the area. In regional perfusion hyperthermia, some of the patient’s blood is removed, heated, and perfused back into the limb or organ. On the other hand, whole-body hyperthermia heats the entire body to a specific degree as it targets cancers that spread throughout the entire body, not just a specific area. Statistics in a 2007 study showed that patients treated with hyperthermia along with another type of cancer treatment saw a 50% reduction in their tumor size compared to a 12% reduction in patients not using hyperthermia. This is just one of many clinical studies that have proven hyperthermia can reduce and ultimately erase cancer. However, as with any treatment in study, there are pros and cons. The pros include that hyperthermia can destroy tumors without surgery and make other forms of cancer treatment work better. Unfortunately, it is hard to accurately measure the temperature inside a tumor and keep areas at constant temperature without affecting nearby tissues. Additionally, there are numerous side effects, depending on the hyperthermia treatment, to keep in mind. With local hyperthermia, side effects can include pain at the site of treatment, infection, bleeding, blood clots, swelling, burns, blisters, damage to skin, muscles, and nerves near the treated area. However, with regional and whole-body hyperthermia, the side effects can vary depending on what part of the body is treated and how high the temperature is. Hyperthermia is still in the clinical trial phase, but is available for certain patients. Once fully ready, it can help the process of curing cancer and change the process of treating cancer. Make sure to listen to our newest episode Hyperthermia and Cancer on our podcast series Talk with Us to learn more about the impact of this technique! Sources https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25144817/ https://celsion.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Rugo-ESMO-2012.pdf https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00826085 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7839459/ https://www.thesimpledollar.com/financial-wellness/paying-for-cancer-treatments-personal-loans/ Christina OliverChristina Oliver is a current member of our interview team here at Cancer Together. She works on writing impactful and informative pieces while also interviewing others about cancer and its impacts.
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