Regional Hyperthermia Therapy

Regional hyperthermia warms a tumour and the tissue around it to roughly 40 to 44 degrees Celsius for about an hour, using radiofrequency energy applied through pads placed on the skin. It is not a treatment given on its own. Warming a tumour increases blood flow and oxygen within it, interferes with the repair of damage to its DNA and makes cells more sensitive to radiation and to several chemotherapy drugs, so hyperthermia is delivered alongside radiotherapy or chemotherapy to strengthen their effect. Sessions are given once or twice a week during the course of the main treatment, and the patient lies comfortably on a couch throughout while temperature and comfort are monitored.