[Experimental study on the treatment of metastatic lymph nodes with local hyperthermia and temperature-sensitive...

The therapeutic effects of combined treatment with hyperthermia (HT) and temperature-sensitive liposomes (TSL) containing Bleomycin (BLM) were evaluated in metastatic lymph nodes of AH-66 ascites tumor in rats. As a model for metastatic lymph nodes, 4 X 10(6) cells of AH-66 were inoculated into the right popliteal lymph nodes of rats. Seven days after inoculation, when the tumor in popliteal lymph nodes was approximately 8 mm in diameter, TSL-BLM was injected subcutaneously into the right foot pad, and local hyperthermia at 43 degrees C was applied for 20 minutes. The most obvious suppression of tumor growth and excellent survival rate were obtained in rats which received both TSL-BLM and HT, compared with groups receiving HT or TSL-BLM alone. These findings suggest that the combination of TSL-BLM and HT provides an effective cancer chemotherapy for patients with metastatic lymph nodes.