RADIOFREQUENCY CAPACITIVE HYPERTHERMIA FOR SUPERFICIAL MALIGNANT-TUMORS

Eighteen patients with inoperable head, neck and upper chest wall canc ers underwent radiofrequency hyperthermia in combination with chemothe rapy and radiotherapy (HCR therapy). Of the eighteen patients, three s howed complete response (CR); eight, partial response (PR); four, no c hange (NC); and three. progressive disease (PD). The overall efficacy (%CR+PR) was 61.1%. The efficacy tended to be higher in the patients t reated with a maximal intratumoral temperature over or equal to 43-deg rees-C (71%) than that in patients treated with under 43-degrees-C (25 %). As the local control of the tumors was not related with their prog nosis it is important that the patients should undergo not only region al hyperthermia but also systemic chemotherapy. Eight patients, who ha d suffered from heat burns, have all been cured by conservative therap y. These results suggested that HCR therapy might be useful in treatin g inoperable superficial malignant tumors, and be well tolerated under protection from skin bums.