CANINE BONE-MARROW AS A POTENTIAL THERMAL SANCTUARY DURING THE PLATEAU-PHASE OF 41-CENTER-DOT-8-DEGREES-C WHOLE-BODY HYPERTHERMIA

Whole body hyperthermia (WBH) is currently being evaluated as an adjun ct to various forms of antineoplastic therapy. In this regard, the uni formity of temperature in an individual subject, induced by any given WBH system, is a significant factor. Preliminary animal investigations suggested that the bone marrow temperature may differ from core tempe rature during 41.8 degrees C WBH. To quantitatively evaluate this poss ible phenomena, dogs were utilized in conjunction with a radiant heat WBH system. It was found that mean bone marrow temperature was signifi cantly less than core (i.e. rectal) temperature (p<0.001), i.e. 0.27 d egrees C for the ilium 0.40 degrees C for the humerus and 0.95 degrees C for the tibia. The implications of these results to current clinica l trials are discussed.