Volumetric interstitial hyperthermia: nursing implications for brain tumor treatment

Malignant glioma is a devastating disease which presents a clinical challenge to physicians and neuroscience nurses. It carries a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of only nine months following application of conventional therapies of surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Hyperthermia is the application of sufficient heat to raise the temperature in a volume of tumor to cytocidal levels. Patient tolerance and response to volumetric interstitial hyperthermia treatment in this clinical study of over 40 patients has been extremely encouraging. Hyperthermia, as part of multi-modality treatment of brain tumors, presents a change in the nursing management of this patient population. The neuroscience nurse plays a crucial role in linking clinical observations to decisions of patient management and treatment planning. Because hyperthermia is a new treatment modality, nurses, patients and families require additional education and extended support during therapy.