hyperthermia therapy
Meaning of hyperthermia therapy: Warming tissue a few degrees above normal to make tumor cells more vulnerable to the treatments given alongside it.
Definition of hyperthermia therapy
Hyperthermia therapy is a cancer treatment in which body tissue is deliberately heated above normal temperature. The heat is mild compared with methods that burn tissue away, and its purpose is usually to make cells more sensitive to radiation and to certain chemotherapy drugs rather than to destroy them outright. It is given alongside those treatments rather than on its own.
Why does heat make other treatments work better?
Several effects combine. Heat widens vessels and increases blood flow, which brings more oxygen to the tumor, and oxygen is required for radiation to cause its full damage. It also delivers more of a circulating drug to the site. Separately, heat interferes with the proteins cells use to repair damaged DNA, so injury caused by radiation therapy is less likely to be mended. Cells in the acidic, poorly supplied center of a tumor, which resist radiation most, are among the more heat-sensitive, so the two approaches cover different weaknesses.
What forms does it take?
| Form | Area heated | Typical method |
|---|---|---|
| Local | A tumor and its immediate surroundings | Microwave, radiofrequency or ultrasound applicators |
| Regional | A limb, organ or body cavity | External applicators, or warmed fluid perfused through the region |
| Whole body | The entire body | Heated chambers or blankets, under sedation |
How does it differ from ablation?
The distinction is temperature and intent. Ablation drives tissue to temperatures that kill it immediately, coagulating proteins in the way heat sets an egg white, and is used to destroy a tumor as a stand-alone treatment. Hyperthermia therapy stays well below that, aiming to stress cells rather than kill them, so its value depends entirely on the treatment it accompanies. The practical difficulty is delivering and measuring an even temperature deep inside the body: blood flow carries heat away unevenly, cooler pockets survive, and hotter ones can burn normal tissue. Temperature probes and imaging are used to monitor this, and the technical demands are a large part of why the treatment is offered in relatively few centers.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Regional hyperthermia therapy was delivered alongside the radiation course.
Good to know
Hyperthermia therapy is a sensitizer used with radiation or chemotherapy rather than a treatment on its own, and it operates well below the temperatures used for ablation.
Word origin
Where “hyperthermia therapy” comes from
From the Greek hyper-, above or beyond, with therme, meaning heat.