Effects of hyperthermia in human neuroblastoma cells.

Neuroblastoma is a childhood malignancy derived from the developing sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and often diagnosed during early infancy. To investigate its metastatic properties, also in response to anti-cancer treatment, we have studied hyperthermia (HT) effects on the ultrastructure of SK-N-MC human neuroblastoma tumor cells. Cells undergoing HT showed a significant increase in apoptotic and necrotic events, but also a rearrangement of the cellular shape, appearing as cell detachment and rounding. The most striking effects of HT can be so correlated to primary tumor mass decrease and to a certain impairment of cell adhesion properties and consequently metastatic diffusion potential.