Regional hyperthermia for advanced tumors: a clinical study of 353 patients

A Phase I study using deep regional hyperthermia (HT) with an annular phased array was conducted in 14 U.S. medical centers from 1980 through 1986. There were 353 patients whose average age was 57 years. All patients had advanced recurrent or persistent tumors. Prior frequently complex, multimodality anti-cancer therapy was received by 71% of the patients. Gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma was present in 146 (41%) patients, genitourinary tumors in 86 (24%), soft tissue sarcomas in 46 (13%), malignant melanoma in 21 (6%) and 15% had other tumors. The sites treated included: pelvis 55%, abdomen 21%, liver 14%, thorax 6%, and other sites 3%. All patients received deep regional HT with an average frequency of 55 MHz. A total of 1412 HT treatments was administered to these 353 patients with an aim to increase the temperature in the volume of interest to greater than 42 degrees C for greater than or equal to 30 minutes. Thermal dose (TD in equivalent minutes at 42.5 degrees C) was less than 50 in 104 (29%), greater than or equal to 50 less than 100 in 30 (11%), greater than or equal to 100 in 26 (7%), and greater than 200 in 34 (10%). The remaining 150 (42%) patients had TD = 0. In addition to HT, 260 (74%) received radiotherapy (RT). RT was given at 180 or 200 cGy daily with an average total dose of 33.4 Gy. A total of 42 (12%) patients were given chemotherapy (CT) with HT, and 15 (4%) CT + HT + RT/HT alone was given to 47 (13%) patients. Complete response (CR) was obtained in 35 (10%) and partial response (PR) in 59 (17%) patients. CR was 12% in patients who received RT, vs 2% in those who did not receive it, p = 0.003. Radiation dose was an important factor influencing response, p less than 0.001. Thermal dose was not an important parameter influencing tumor response. A duration of CR ranged from 4 to 73 weeks with an average duration of 31 weeks and the median duration of 28 weeks. The overall 2-year survival was 13% with the median survival of 42 weeks. Patients with CR and PR had a 2 year survival of 41%, and a median survival of 71 weeks. This compared with 8% 2-year survival and 24 weeks median survival in patients who did not have CR or PR, p less than 0.001. Of the patients presenting with significant pain, 62% had complete or partial pain relief.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)