Reirradiation combined with hyperthermia in recurrent breast cancer results in a worthwhile local palliation

Both experimental and clinical research have shown that hyperthermia (HT) g ives Valuable additional effects when applied in combination with radiother apy (RT). The purpose of this study was evaluation of results in patients w ith recurrent breast cancer, treated at the Daniel den Heed Cancer Center ( DHCC) with reirradiation (re-RT; eight fractions of 4 Gy twice weekly) comb ined with HT. All 134 patients for whom such treatment was planned were inc luded in the analysis. The complete response rate in 119 patients with macr oscopic tumour was 71%. including the 15 patients with microscopic disease, the local control rate was 73%. The median duration of local control was 3 2 months, and toxicity was acceptable. The complete response (CR) rate was higher, and the toxicity was less with the later developed 433-MHz HT techn ique compared with the 2450-MHz technique used initially. With this relativ ely well-tolerated treatment, palliation by local tumour control of a worth while duration is achieved in the majority of patients. The technique used for hyperthermia appeared to influence the achieved results. The value of H T in addition to this re-RT schedule has been confirmed by a prospective ra ndomized trial in a similar patient group. In The Netherlands, this combine d treatment is offered as standard to patients with breast cancer recurring in previously irradiated areas.