[Clinical results and problems of total-body thermochemotherapy]

The clinical results and problems of extracorporeally-induced total-body thermochemotherapy (TBHT) for recurrent cancer are presented. A total of 127 hyperthermic treatments were performed in 45 patients who had undergone unsuccessful conventional systemic anticancer chemotherapy. Partial response was observed in 11 of 34 evaluable patients (32%). In analysing the anticancer effects of TBHT according to cancer site, a high efficacy was observed in patients with their main tumor in the lung, liver and lymph nodes. The anticancer effects were most enhanced when TBHT was performed in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil. In order to augment the anticancer effects of TBHT, the choice of combined agents and administration timing are important. A useful method for determining the thermochemosensitivity of individual cancer cells to agents selected for drug treatment is the human tumor clonogenic assay. Furthermore, the usefulness of angiotensin II-induced hypertensive chemotherapy during TBHT for augmenting selective drug delivery to cancer tissue is stressed.