chemotherapy . Whole body and/or regional hyperthermia can also be combined with localized hyperthermia
to improve results.
Although the hyperthermia treatment may be given externally, the temperatures inside the tumor usually
have to be carefully monitored to control the treatment properly. This often means that tiny thermometers
have to be placed into the tumor region, usually inside one or more small needles or tubes that are gently
inserted through the skin under a local anesthetic.
Side Effects Hyperthermia does not cause any marked increase in radiation side effects or complications. Superficial hyperthermia by itself, however, can cause discomfort or even significant local pain in about half the patients treated. It can also cause blisters, which generally heal rapidly. Less commonly, it can cause burns, which tend to heal very slowly and occasionally need surgical repair.
How often blisters and burns occur depends on whether the tumor involves the skin and on the degree of skin cooling used during the treatment. In one study, heat blisters occurred in 10 percent of the superficial areas treated, but normal tissue ulceration occurred in less than 1 percent of cases. This indicates that burns can normally be avoided with careful monitoring and control of surface temperatures.
