Hyperthermic antiblastic perfusion in the treatment of cancer of the extremities.

From February 1982 to December 1983, 42 patients affected by neoplasms of the limbs were treated at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan by hyperthermic antiblastic perfusion in extracorporeal circulation at the temperature of 40-41 degrees C for 1 h. Thirty-two were affected by melanoma, 4 by osteogenic sarcoma, 2 by squamous-cell carcinoma, 1 by liposarcoma, 1 by hemangiopericytoma, 1 by clear-cell sarcoma and 1 by Kaposis's sarcoma. As regards the immediate response, a complete plus partial remission rate of 88% without any major complication was obtained. The follow-up period is too short for any considerations about overall survival. However, because of these good clinical results we consider this method able to locally control the evolution of neoplasms of the extremities, allowing in many cases a limb salvage.