Thermal therapy, part 2: hyperthermia techniques.

Hyperthermia, the procedure of raising the temperature of a part of or the whole body above normal for a defined period of time, is applied alone or as an adjunctive with various established cancer treatment modalities such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Clinical hyperthermia falls into three broad categories, namely, (1) localized hyperthermia, (2) regional hyperthermia, and (3) whole-body hyperthermia (WBH). Because of the various problems associated with each type of treatment, different heating techniques have evolved. In this article, background information on the biological rationale and current status of technologies concerning heating equipment for the application of hyperthermia to human cancer treatment are provided. The results of combinations of other modalities such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy with hyperthermia as a new treatment strategy are summarized. The article concludes with a discussion of challenges and opportunities for the future.