COMBINED CHEMORADIATION AND HYPERTHERMIA FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED SOFT-TISSUE SARCOMA - RESPONSE AND TOXICITY

Background: Evaluation of the primary effects and acute adverse reacti ons of combined chemo-radiation and hyperthermia for patients with loc ally advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Materials and Methods: Light patien ts with locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma underwent a combination o f radiation therapy, continuous infusion of doxorubicin, and once week ly hyperthermia. Results: Complete response was obtained in 2 patients and partial response in 3. Level 4 skin reaction was developed in 4 p atients who had superficially located tumour. Treatment interruption m ore than three days was required in only one patient who developed lev el 4 pharyngitis. Five patients developed grade 3 leukopenia, 2 had gr ade 4 leukopenia requiring administration of haematopoietic growth fac tor Two patients developed radiation pneumonitis which required steroi d medication. No symptomatic cardiotoxicity was observed. There was no acute morbidity during the treatment. Conclusions: The intensive comb ination therapy provided good local responses or at least palliation f or. most of the patients entered without increasing treatment morbidit y.