Immunological response induced by alternated cooling and heating of breast tumor.

A new in-situ thermal physical method combining both cryosurgery and local hyperthermia was used to treat mice bearing 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma. The induced anti-tumor immune response was investigated. The cryo/heat treatment resulted in stimulation of CTL response and attraction of immunocytes into the tumor debris, which correlated well to the tumor rejection in re-implantation. The results suggested that alternated cooling and heating had synergistic effect and might be developed into an alternative modality for tumor therapy.