Systematic review about complementary medical hyperthermia in oncology

Abstract

Hyperthermia is a generic term for different techniques using heat in cancer therapies. Temperatures of about 42° Celsius in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy may improve the effectiveness of those treatments. Clinical benefit is shown in “standard hyperthermia” with tumour temperatures assessed during treatment. This systematic review thoroughly assesses the state of evidence concerning the benefits and side effects of electro hyperthermia or whole-body hyperthermia (“alternative hyperthermia”) in oncology. From 26 April 2021 to 09 May 2021, a systematic search was conducted searching five electronic databases (Embase, Cochrane, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Medline) to find studies concerning the use, effectiveness and potential harm of alternative medical hyperthermia therapy on cancer patients. From all 47,388 search results, 53 publications concerning 53 studies with 2006 patients were included in this systematic review. The patients were diagnosed with different types of cancer. The hyperthermic methods included whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) with different methods and electro hyperthermia (EH). The majority of the included studies were single-arm studies, counting in total 32 studies. Six studies were randomized controlled trials (RCT). In addition, one systematic review (SR) was found. The most critical endpoints were tumour response, survival data, pain relief, myelosuppression and toxicities. Outcome was heterogeneous, and considering the methodological limitations, clinical evidence for the benefit of alternative hyperthermia in cancer patients is lacking. Neither for whole-body hyperthermia nor for electro hyperthermia there is any evidence with respect to improvement of survival or quality of life in cancer patients.

Hyperthermic Extracorporeal Applied Tumor Therapy for Six Cycles for Recurrent Metastatic Peritoneal Serous Papillary Carcinoma

“…Accompanying this increased blood flow are enhanced vascular permeability, increased oxygenation, decreased interstitial fluid pressure, and normalizing of the pH. Additionally, hyperthermia has been shown to increase immune cell trafficking into tumors [ 16 ], regulate lymphocyte trafficking [ 17 ], alter cytokine activity [ 18 ], increase metabolic rate [ 19 ], and upregulate gene expression favoring apoptosis [ 5 ].…”

Hyperthermic Extracorporeal Applied Tumor Therapy (HEATT®) in Hospice Eligible Cancer Patients

“…97 whole-body hyperthermia (WBHT) therapy sessions, most with adjuvant therapies, achieved anti-tumor effects in 6 of 25 patients [1]. A recent systematic review of complementary medical hyperthermia in oncology provided comprehensive information regarding the evolution of hyperthermia [2]. Whole-body, perfusion-induced systemic hyperthermia can play a pivotal role in the treatment of metastatic cancers, especially when part of an integrated cancer treatment plan.…”

Nanomaterial‐Enabled Photothermal Heating and Its Use for Cancer Therapy via Localized Hyperthermia

“…Clinically, hyperthermia can be created artificially using drugs and/or medical devices and leveraged for cancer treatment. [1,2] If the temperature surges to 42 °C and above, it will cause many proteins in the cell to irreversibly denature and thus induce apoptosis. In addition, the elevated temperature can enhance chemotherapy, offering an opportunity to reduce the amount of the therapeutic agent without compromising its efficacy toward a treatment.…”