Thermal biology and physiology in clinical hyperthermia: current status and future needs.

The current status and needs of thermal biology and physiology as related to clinical hyperthermia are summarized. Emphasis is placed on heat-induced modification of blood flow and microenvironment in tissues, on the biological effects of heat and X-rays, and on the relationship between drug resistance, heat resistance, and thermotolerance in thermochemotherapy. Results from recent studies investigating the relationships between thermotolerance and heat shock proteins in tissue culture cell lines, in rodent tumors, and in normal tissues are presented. These data strongly suggest that the levels of Mr 70,000 heat shock protein can be used as an assay to predict the thermal sensitivity of tissues during fractionated hyperthermia.