Hyperthermia Treatment for Cancer - Research Paper Example

Hyperthermia treatment for cancer Abstract and Keywords: This discussion mainly encompasses hyperthermia as a means to treat cancer. The study tries to find out the origin of hyperthermia. It also focuses on the fact how hyperthermia becomes effective in the treatment of cancer. Another attempt of the study is to look at the possibilities when hyperthermia gives the maximum effect and at the same time the discussion has also concentrated on the limitations which hyperthermia has. At the end with the assistance of our extensive discussion we have been able to find out that hyperthermia can become an effective method in the treatment of cancer with a little careful administration because a number of studies have shown that the survival rate and the rate of response towards other drugs of cancer increases when they get combined with hyperthermia. The main keywords of the discussion are cancer, tumors, hyperthermia, high temperature, chemotherapy and radiation. Introduction: The building blocks of our body are cells. Cancer takes place when there is an abnormal growth of cells in our body. The causes of cancer are generally genetic change or a defect in the chromosome of the genes. When the cell in our body multiplies rapidly and forms a lump it is called cancer or malignant tumor. Even at such an age of advancement it is still difficult to decipher the true causes of cancer but a variety of research carried out in this field has given some guidance with regard to the causes of cancer and its treatment. (Dollinger et al, 2002, p. 3). Effective cancer treatment needs combination of multiple medical specialties. The scopes of new capacities in the treatment of cancer are always expanding and the specialists are constantly adopting those techniques to treat the disease successfully. A treatment process should be such that it incorporates maximum benefit in the removal of the disease. (Chabner and Longo, 2005, p.1). Aims and Objectives: The aim of this discussion is to find out the effectiveness of hyperthermia as a method to treat cancer. At the same time we will also find out as to why hyperthermia is most effective. When the application of hyperthermia becomes most effective is also one of the objectives of our study. Last but not the least we will also look at the limitations which hyperthermia has in the treatment of cancer. Methodology: This discussion has mostly been qualitative in nature. The databases which were included in the discussion were books based on hyperthermia and articles containing information about the method of treatment. From the books we have tried to compile a number of studies and opinions of medical experts. The main criteria of inclusion of the data bases was that most of the literature included were recent in nature and were solely based on hyperthermia and cancer. The strength of the discussion was that it has covered almost all the areas related to hyperthermia and the treatment of cancer. At the same time weakness of the discussion was that it did not include any primary survey which would have validated the claim of the research all the more which said that hyperthermia is an effective method of treatment in cancer. Literature Discussion: The history of hyperthermia dates back to 500 B.C.E. Around the year 500 B.C.E the Greek physician Parmenides said that if only he had the capacity to create fever he would cure all illness. In the last few centuries the physicians observed that people who were suffering from illness like cancer, gonorrhea and syphilis became free of those illnesses if they caught a fever due to some other infection. Such a concept made the researchers develop ways which could provide fever artificially to the patients so that they could get rid of the more serious illnesses. Especially for diseases like AIDS and Cancer physicians tried to use methods which would generate heat in the body. (Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, 2002, p. 291). For the first time use of hyperthermia for malignant tumors was suggested by Celses because he had observed that initial stages of tumor could be cured with this method. Intense research in hyperthermia with regards to cancer was carried in the periods dating back to the 1970s and the 1980s after which the research activity dwindled in the US and again in the 1990s the research related to hyperthermia got resurgence and a lot of new techniques and models were developed in the process of hyperthermia. The physicians of US maintained the hegemony of chemotherapy and radiation till a certain time and only recently has the area of hyperthermia been explored well. The present state of hyperthermia in the US is that it has been recognized by some of the physicians while it is rejected by most of the oncologists. Rather it can be said that the oncologists overlook the positive effects of the therapy. The word hyperthermia means elevated temperature and it involves the use of heat in the treatment of cancer. Hyperthermia is a specialized weapon to combat cancer and it cannot be used to destroy all kinds of tumors. The process in which hyperthermia works is when the temperature raises above 106 degree Fahrenheit and at that point of time the heat begins to damage the cells. The extent to which the damage is done depends on the temperature and the period for which the heat is exposed. The temperature which is used generally ranges from 106 degree Fahrenheit and 113 degree Fahrenheit. Generally hyperthermia treatment are administered either once or twice a week. The heat used also improves the effect of some of the drugs used in chemotherapy. We have also seen that Mathe G had confirmed in the XXIV Congress in Rome that cancer cells get destroyed only at a temperature of 43 degree and above. (Hager and Baronzio, 2006, p.228) The hyperthermia treatment is broadly categorized into three broad divisions namely the localized, regional and whole body heating. Hyperthermias as a process of treatment do not have any marked side effects. (Dollinger et al, 2002, p. 96). A number of medical literatures have found out that hyperthermia is an effective method of cancer treatment because hyperthermia modifies the membranes of the cell in such a way that it does not get affected by the already damaged cells. Moreover it also makes the tumor cells more responsive to treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. Thus it can be said that hyperthermia in the treatment is effective in the sense that it enables to lower the applications of chemotherapy and radiation. Rather it can be said that hyperthermia strengthens the immune system of the cancer patients. Studies have found that administering of hyperthermia reduces the count of white blood cells immediately after the treatment but after some time the WBC count again increases and helps to destroy the target damaged cells. Arthur C Guyton has commented that the metabolic rate increases up to 100 percent for every 10 degree rise in temperature. The increased metabolic rate in turn increases the immune system of the body. Such findings help us to conclude that heat helps in the healing process of the body. Studies have found that hyperthermia is most effective in case of head, neck, breast cancer and many other forms of cancer. According to Dr. Gard hyperthermia is a way which releases toxins from the cells and then helps to release them first through the skin and then later through the kidney and the bowels. (Goldberg, Trivieri and Anderson, 2002, p. 293). It has been found by a number of studies that hyperthermia is always administered in combination with all other treatment like radiation therapy, chemotherapy and other biological therapies in order to increase its effectiveness. A number of methods are used in hyperthermia like the use of ultra-sound waves to produce heat to the tumors. Another approach of hyperthermia involves use of a warm solution mixed with anti-cancer drugs which is used to bathe the patients or is passed through the blood vessels. (Local Hyperthermia). In a study carried among 18 patients it was found out that when hyperthermia was combined with other methods of treatment like chemo mobilization it was found that rate of regression of tumors was higher than in cases when treatments like chemotherapy and radiation was applied alone. Thus it could help us reach at a conclusion that said any method of treatment when combined with hyperthermia becomes all the more effective in controlling the malignant tumors or the cancer cells. Even it was found that the survival rates of the patients increased when hyperthermia was administered for example the survival rates of the patients increased up to 50 percent compared to the increase of 19 percent when other forms of treatment were applied alone. Although this form of combination treatments has produced more success it has been found that the utilization of such process has remained limited to a large extent. (Matsuda, 317). Clinical use of hyperthermia certainly should accompany the proper knowledge about the distribution of temperature in patients. A very effective means to achieve proper distribution of temperature is through the computers which is called thermal modeling. Another very important knowledge about the application of hyperthermia is the blood flow in patients because blood flow in a patient’s body plays a major part in determining hyperthermia to the patients. In the recent years technology has advanced in leaps and bounds and the advancement in technology has helped to evolve modern methods to successfully administer hyperthermia. For instance progress in the power of computers has helped to develop advanced RF, microwaves and ultra sound which in turn are used in the application of hyperthermia. In the hypothermic process the applicator of the process are placed around or near the effected region and the energy of the applicator is focused on the tumor to raise the temperature of the tumor so that it is able to escalate the immunity and at the same time makes the body more responsive towards other treatments. Presently hyperthermia systems are combined with the MRI system which enables the noninvasive monitoring of the temperature range in the hyperthermia treatment. (Habash, 2007, p. 231). It is true that the use of heat for medical purposes is an old concept but the use of electromagnetic fields to produce that heat is comparatively a new process. Presently many of the Asian and European countries have begun the use of hyperthermia but still in USA remain the largest application of this method of treatment especially for cancer patients. The recent developments include methods to apply heat in a controlled manner. Hyperthermia involves maintaining heat near the affected region for some time and at the same time it is necessary to keep the temperature of the surrounding regions of the body comparatively cool. The Whole body heating involves the raising of the entire body temperature to about 42 degree centigrade. It is not very comfortable for the patient because it may not increase the temperatures of the tumors’ sufficiently. Similarly regional hyperthermia involves heating large regions of the body like the thorax or the pelvis. In this process heating is produced to both the healthy region as well as the cancerous region and the remaining body temperature is kept normal as much as possible. On the contrary in case of the localized hyperthermia only the tumor is heated and this method becomes applicable only in case of external tumors. (Furse et al, 2009, p.232-233). The application of microwaves is also very effective in the treatment of cancer because in this process the energy can be transferred without the use of transmission lines. This is done by converting the energy to microwave energy and then radiating it through an antenna in a narrow beam. (Sisodia and Gupta, 2005, p.4). An important innovation in the field of hyperthermia treatment of cancer is the administration of low temperatures which ranges from 42 to 45 degree centigrade because at this temperature it has no side effects. Constant application of low temperatures destroys the tumors gradually. (Kang et al, 2008, p.227). Again from this we get to understand that it is very necessary that a proper maintenance of temperature is kept. In the last five years it has been seen that a lot of attention has given to hyperthermia as a method of treatment. (Hyperthermia, a gentle heat cancer treatment of the future is here and Now). Although hyperthermia has gone a long away in the treatment of cancer but still today there remain a lot of limitations in the administration of the method of treatment. The main hindrance remains with regard to heat generating equipments and thermometry. Even now effective equipments have not been developed to generate uniform heat through the entire tumor affected area. All the methods including the micro wave heating, radio frequency heating, ultra sound heating and extracorporeal blood heating are limited to some extent or the other. Various experiments have found out that all these methods are limited by the variability of tumor vascular distribution, blood flow and amount of necrosis. Another barrier with regard to this treatment is that yet equipments are not available that will give complete information regarding the temperature distribution in the entire tumor volume. It is true that the biological implications of this method involving hyperthermia is very strong but at the same time it should be remembered that there exists a lot of methodological limitations and that is the reason as to why till today the method of hyperthermia has not been able to achieve an overwhelming clinical success. In most of the cases it remains in the experimental stage. (Withrow and MacEwan, 2001 p.85). Results: The discussion carried out on the subject of hyperthermia and cancer treatment has made us realize that hyperthermia can become a very effective means of treatment when combined with other forms of treatment like radiation and chemotherapy. After examining various data it was found out that response of breast cancer with the application of hyperthermia had increased from 23 percent to that of 68 percent and the five year survival rate had increased from 0 percent to 53 percent in cases of head and neck cancer. These data was found compared to the radiation effects. (Seven Major U.S. Cancer Institutions Order Hyperthermia Systems from BSD Medical). It was also found that hyperthermia combined with radiation produced more long lasting effects in the treatment of cancer. In fact the whole body hyperthermia enables to remove the effect of thrombocytopenia produced by radiation in the body. Whole body hyperthermia also helps to increase the platelet count of the body and also it inhibits the damage which sometimes radiation brings about to the normal cells of the body. It has also been observed that the response rate among the patients increase to 93 percent with the administration of hyperthermia. (Bradova, 1998). Even with chemotherapy the case is the same that is the effect of chemotherapy enhances with the application of hyperthermia. Some of the elements of chemotherapy start functioning being combined with heat. Drugs like Doxorubicin and dactinomycin start having more effect when they are combined with hyperthermia. It has also been found that hyperthermia enhances the administration of anti bodies to the tumors. Hyperthermia also is effective in reducing pain and also is able to control bleeding. Hence from this data we can say that hyperthermia is effective in increasing the response rate towards the drugs used for cancer control and at the same time it also increases the survival rate among the cancer patients. At the same time it cannot be denied that hyperthermia has some disadvantages associated with it like hyperthermia involves pain and sometimes unpleasant sensations or at times it causes burns in the patients. For example ultra sound hyperthermia being administered in bone tumors causes bone pain and sometimes whole body hyperthermia causes neuropathies. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that hyperthermia is applied to the patient only when the patient is awake and a careful note should be made regarding the signs which the patient shows during the process and if the patient report of pain or any other problems it is best that the process is immediately abated right at that point. (Hyperthermia in Cancer treatment). Thus we can say that hyperthermia has a lot of advantages involved with it but at the same time it has certain problems associated so it is very necessary that the administration of hyperthermia should be done very carefully and with proper knowledge. Conclusion: After carrying on an extensive literature survey on hyperthermia and its effect on cancer treatment it can be said that hyperthermia is a very effective method because right from the early days of the past administration of heat was common in the curing of diseases. It has been found that hyperthermia enhances the effect of radiation and chemotherapy. Hyperthermia is still in the stage of experimentation and a lot needs to be done in this area. Still a lot of advancement has to be made with regard to the technology related to hyperthermia. From the study we have learnt that the main hindrance lies in the advancement of the technology. This is because temperature plays a key role in the method of hyperthermia and the main problem that is faced with regard to hyperthermia and temperature is that it becomes difficult to ascertain the right degree of temperature. It is for certain that we all know cancer is a very dangerous disease and hence it is necessary that we develop methods to fight the deadly disease as soon as possible and in this regard it can be said that hyperthermia has the potential to develop as such a method. At the same time it should be remembered that hyperthermia has certain disadvantages attached to it so physicians should be careful while administering it. They should remember that hyperthermia should be administered to the patient when he is active and at the same time the patient’s reaction to the method should be carefully noted that is if a patient report of physical pain the treatment should be immediately stopped. Hence it is better to say that the existing literatures make us aware of the fact that hyperthermia should be used in a careful manner so that it is used only to relief the patient from the trouble of cancer. REFERENCE 1. “Hyperthermia in Cancer treatment”, retrieved on July 23, 2009, from: http://www.pharmainfo.net/ajaypalsingh/hyperthermia-cancer-treatment 2. “Hyperthermia, a gentle heat cancer treatment of the future is here and Now”, Valley Cancer Institute, July 21, 2009, (Los Angeles), retrieved on July 23, 2009, from: http://www.vci.org/ 3. “Local Hyperthermia”, Cancer Compass, retrieved on July 23, 2009, from: http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-treatment/local-hyperthermia.htm 4. “Seven Major U.S. Cancer Institutions Order Hyperthermia Systems from BSD Medical”, Business Wire, July 3rd 2003, Cengage Learning, (Gale), retrieved on July 23, 2009, from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_July_3/ai_n27889204/?tag=content;col1 5. 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Matsuda T, 1993, Cancer Treatment by Hyperthermia, Radiation and Drugs, Taylor & Francis, (London) 14. Sisodia M and Gupta V, 2005, Microwave Engineering, New Age International, (New Delhi). 15. Withrow S and MacEwan E, 2001, Small animal clinical oncology, Elsevier Health Sciences, (USA). Read More