[Clinical significance of the combined use of radiation therapy and hyperthermia].

Sixty-eight cases of cancer were treated by combined use of Thermotron RF-8 hyperthermia and radiotherapy, and 16 cases by combined use of hyperthermia and anti-cancer drug. The results of analysis of treatment are summarized as follows. Thermo-radiotherapy of shallow-seated tumor: Shallow-seated tumor at a depth of 7 cm or less from the skin surface was present in 43 cases. Most of these were metastatic tumors of lymph node, chest wall and abdominal wall. Pathological findings and primary effect; The effect of treatment was evaluable in 40 cases, the breakdown being as follows: CR 21 cases 53%, PR 13 cases 40%, and NR 3 cases 7%. The effectiveness ratios (CR/PRa) were as follows: adenocarcinoma 13 cases out of 18, 72%; squamous cell carcinoma 12 cases out of 15, 80%. The effectiveness ratios were thus almost the same. Tumor size and primary effect: Out of 19 cases of tumor 5.9 cm or smaller, 17 cases obtained CR. Out of 17 cases of tumor 6 cm or larger, there were 5 cases of CR. Cases of larger-sized tumor thus showed a poorer effect of treatment. Recurrence after radiotherapy: Nine cases of recurrence after radiotherapy were treated by combined use of hyperthermia and radiotherapy. Irradiation of 20 to 40 Gy was combined with 5 to 10 rounds of hyperthermia. The effectiveness ratio was 78%, i.e., 7 cases out of 9. Cases of recurrence of radio-resistant tumor after radiotherapy responded well to low-dose irradiation. Thermo-radiotherapy of deep-seated tumor: Twenty-two cases of deep-seated tumor were treated with the combined use of radiation therapy and hyperthermia. They comprised 10 cases of rectal cancer, 3 cases each of gastric cancer and uterine cancer, 2 cases each of lung cancer and sarcoma, and 2 cases involving other regions. The treatment results were: 3 cases each of CR, 15 cases of PR, and 4 cases of NR. The effectiveness ratio (CR + PRa) was 8 cases out of 22, i.e., 36%. Thermo-chemotherapy: Systemic administration of anti-cancer drug was combined with hyperthermia, and 16 cases were treated. They comprised 11 cases of gastric cancer, 3 cases of colo-rectal cancer, and one case of bile duct cancer. The administered drug was 5-FU in 8 cases, MMC in 7 cases, and CDDP in one case. The treatment results were; one case of CR, 4 cases of PR, 6 cases of MR, 3 cases of NC, and 2 cases of PD. More cases of lymph node tumor showed excellent results.