Fever, cancer incidence and spontaneous remissions

Objective: Accumulating evidence exists for (1) an inverse correlation betw een the incidence of infectious diseases and cancer risk and (2) an inverse correlation between febrile infections and remissions of malignancies. Thi s review is part of an effort of the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health to examine this evidence. Methods: A review o f the literature to a key word search was undertaken, using the following k ey words: fever, infectious diseases, neoplasm, cancer incidence and sponta neous remission. Results: The data reviewed in this article support earlier observations on the topic, i.e. that the occurrence of fever in childhood or adulthood may protect against the later onset of malignant disease and t hat spontaneous remissions are often preceded by feverish infections. Concl usion: Pyrogenic substances and the more recent use of whole-body hyperther mia to mimic the physiologic response to fever have successfully been admin istered in palliative and curative treatment protocols for metastatic cance r. Further research in this area is warranted. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.