Deep hyperthermia with radiofrequencies in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer

Patients at advanced stage of colorectal cancer with liver metastases have been treated with deep hyperthermia alone or in combination with chemothera py (5-FU + FA+MMC). Hyperthermia was achieved by arrangements of capacitive electrodes with a radiofrequency field of 13.56 MHz (RF-DHT). This prospec tive open single-arm clinical study with 80 patient suffering from liver me tastases from colorectal cancer gives some first hints, that deep RF-hypert hermia alone may have a substantial beneficial effect on overall survival t ime of patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Long lasting no-change, partial and even some complete remissions could be observed. The overall median survival time from progression of metastases or relapse was 24.5 months and survival rates at 1, 2 or 3 years from first diagnosis of metastases or progression were twice as high as expected from patients trea ted with chemotherapy. The combination of hyperthermia with delayed chemoth erapy did not change overall survival time. These encouraging results deser ve to be confirmed in randomized clinical studies.