[Low-dose-rate teletherapy combined with hyperthermia as a boost therapy]

The efficacy of the low dose rate teletherapy (LDRT; 1 Gy/hr, 4 Gy/day, 2-3 times/week) combined with hyperthermia as a boost therapy (H (+) group) against far advanced carcinomas was examined. The treatment results in H (+) group (17 esophageal carcinomas, 3 pancreatic and bile duct carcinomas and 5 other carcinomas) were compared with the ones in H (-) group (38 esophageal carcinomas, 5 pancreatic and bile duct carcinomas and 13 other carcinomas) which were treated with the LDRT (1 Gy/hr, 7 Gy/day, every day) as a boost. A total dose of 14-24 Gy by the LDRT was followed after the irradiation of 50-60 Gy by conventionally fractionated method (1.5-2 Gy/day). H (+) cases were treated with 42.5 degrees C, 1 hour hyperthermia immediately before the LDRT and 19 cases (76%) were successfully heated. There were no significant differences between H (+) group and H (-) group in local control, late severe complication and survival rates, even when they were corrected by primary sites and stages. The incidence of metastases was higher in H (+) group. It was considered that the gain of the combination of the LDRT and the hyperthermia as a boost therapy was a little.