Whole Body Hyperthermia as a Treatment Modality

Abstract

Currently, one of the most effective methods for heating deep seated tumours is by warming up the entire patient. In this way temperatures to a maximum level of 42°C can be obtained. Over 35 papers have been published on the various aspects of whole body hyperthermia. Some only deal with description of the various methods, others the required anaesthesia, a large number of papers deal with physiological effects and toxicity and, finally, some 14 different publications have reported the results obtained. Historically the method of whole body hyperthermia dates back to the late 1890’s, when Coley treated patients with injections of bacterial toxins. Unfortunately, there is still some confusion as to whether the reported beneficial effects were achieved by the elevated temperatures or by undefined immunological reactions. To confuse the issue even more, no detailed report remains on how the exact mixture of bacterial toxins was composed, and therefore it is not possible to reproduce the results today. In view of the fact that immunological factors in tumour therapy do not play a significant role (Mastrangelo et al., 1984), despite all the claims that have been made, it is likely that the elevated temperatures have been instrumental. After these initial successes, there has not been much activity in this field of whole body hyperthermia for more than half a century.