Corel Medical Series: Cancer/Corel Medical Series: Cancer.iso/mac/Program/p10.dxr/00014_Field_SRC.p10.C.4.txt

Text File | 1997-01-28 | 2KB | 15 lines

Heating Techniques  During the past 15 years devices have become available to heat tumors directly and safely.
    Hyperthermia treatment techniques can be divided into three broad categories—localized, regional and whole body heating.
• Localized heating of tumors in or near the skin is often performed using an external applicator. This square or
  round box is placed on the outside of the body over the tumor. The applicator is connected to equipment that
  supplies different types of energy—microwave, radiofrequency or ultrasound—that will heat the tumor cells .
      Localized heating can also be accomplished internally in a process called interstitial (inside the tumor)
  hyperthermia. Under anesthesia, needles or plastic tubes are placed into the tumor. Heat sources are then
  inserted directly into the plastic tubes or radiofrequency current is passed through the needles. Interstitial
  techniques often raise the tumor temperatures much higher than could be done with external techniques and
   without doing much damage to surrounding normal tissues.
• Regional hyperthermia involves using microwave or radiofrequency applicators to heat large volumes of tissue
  deep inside the body.
• Whole body heating can be accomplished by using hot water blankets, specialized oven-like devices or other
  methods. This procedure is safe, using temperatures up to about 41.8°C (107°F). This temperature may not
  be high enough to be effective in combination with radiation therapy alone, but may become useful with