[Characteristics of hyperthermia-induced apoptotic cell death]

Hyperthermia shows considerable promise as a treatment modality for cancer. It is widely accepted that hyperthermia at doses that fall within the therapeutic range triggers cell death by apoptosis in susceptible cell populations, higher heat loads producing necrosis. The hyperthermia-induced apoptosis is characterized both by its distinctive ultrastructural features and by the occurrence of internucleosomal DNA cleavage. The thermosensitivity to apoptotic induction varies enormously from cell type to cell type. The molecular mechanism which makes a cell sensitive to induction of apoptosis by hyperthermia is not at present clear, however, understanding why some cell types are sensitive or resistant to apoptotic induction is important to achieve the immediate cell killing effect of hyperthermia on each individual cell type.