Deep microwave hyperthermia for metastatic tumors of the liver

Between 1981 and 1985, 44 patients with advanced metastatic carcinoma of the liver were treated with deep microwave hyperthermia (HT) in five medical centers in the US. This HT was given with a BSD-1000 Annular Phased Array (BSD Medical Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah). Of the 44 patients treated, 18 (41%) were in poor general condition and scored less than 60 on the Karnofsky scale. In 50% upper abdominal pain was a major presenting symptom. Prior chemotherapy (CT) had been given in 12 (27%) patients, while 10 (23%) had received prior radiotherapy (RT). Colon (73%) was the most frequent site of the primary tumor, and adenocarcinoma (79%) was the most frequent histological diagnosis. A total of 150 HT treatments were given, with an average of 3.4. HT alone was administered to 12 (27%), HT-RT to 15 (34%), HT-CT to 13 (30%) and HT-RT-CT to four (9%). Therapeutic temperature was reached in 28 (64%) patients. The majority (66%) tolerated treatment well. Due to the poor general condition of over one-third of the patients, prior therapy in 50% and the presence of advanced tumor in all, it is not surprising to see a response rate of only 36%. The response rate was 53% among patients receiving RT in addition to HT and 46% in patients who had therapeutic temperature. Survival ranged from less than 1 to 63 months, with an average of 11 months. Relief of pain was observed in 8 of 22 patients who presented with this symptom. HT can be safely delivered to patients with metastatic tumor to the liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)