An Effective Tool Against Brain Cancers
What is it?
Head Hyperthermia is a procedure in which we – using radio waves (which are harmless to the body) – raise the temperature of the area in and around the tumor. This is achieved by a special machine specially devised for this modality of treatment. Treatments can take between 30-90 minutes depending on each special case and area of treatment.
How does it work?
The higher temperature has 2 effects: it expands the blood vessels in the heated area, enhancing the bloodstream in the affected area, which “steers” the white blood cells and the drugs to the tumor while removing more carbon dioxide and metabolic waste. The second effect is that by increasing the temperature inside the tumor to 42-45°C, the mitosis process of the cancer cells becomes faulty by a loss of expression of vital genes, leading to cellular death.
Against which cancer types can it be used?
Head hyperthermia can be used against most brain cancer types as well as brain metastasis because of its power to enhance blood flow to the tumor, bringing with it more white blood cells and drugs. It also has some effectiveness as a standalone anti-cancer therapy, but it is at its best when used together with other types of treatment.
Our opinion
We believe that head hyperthermia is an essential part of cancer treatment when coupled with other modalities (like i.v. infusions or IPT). This modality of treatment is normally well-tolerated and patients experience some times only some light skin burns (redness and tenderness of the area) that usually disappear after 12-24h. Treatment regimens vary depending on the specific patient’s needs.