milleniummedicine
BREAKTHROUGHS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Healing Cancer With Heat
Using heat to heal is nothing new: As far
back as 5,000 B.C, Egyptian doctors treated tumors with heat. While the principles of
tumor heating were widely understood, the technology to direct the heat in a concentrated
area lagged behind the theory. James I. Bicher, M.D., a pioneer in the field of
hyperthermia, founded the Valley Cancer Institute in Los Angeles, which has become the
largest nonprofit hyperthermic oncology patient treatment center in the world, in 1985.
What is hyperthermia?
Hyperthermia is, very simply, the application of concentrated therapeutic heat to treat
cancer. Due to its increasingly impressive research and clinical tract record, it is
considered as "mainstream" as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and is now
recognized as the "fourth modality" in approved cancer treatment. Due to its
relatively recent acceptance in major medical circles, however, it is not well-known-yet
it is a treatment with genuine promise.
How does hyperthermia work?
In normal tissues, blood vessels open up (dilate) when heat is applied, dissipating the
heat and cooling down the cell environment. Unlike healthy cells, a tumor is a tightly
packed group of cells, and circulation is restricted and sluggish. When heat is applied to
the tumor, vital nutrients and oxygen are cut off from the tumor cells. This results in a
collapse of the tumor's vascular system and destruction of the cancer cells. Heating
placement is controlled using fine sensors and directional applicators. Using
microwaves and computers with these devices, cancerous tumors are heated. This breaks down
the tumor without harming the surrounding tissues, with no lasting side effects.
What types of tumors are treated using hyperthermia?
Valley Cancer Institute's state-of-the art facility treats a wide range of tumors. Many
are in difficult-to-reach sites that have not responded well to other treatment methods,
such as the brain, bone, throat, thyroid, breast, liver, pancreas, colon, ovaries, uterus,
prostate and skin.
When should hyperthermia be used in cancer treatment?
Hyperthermia treatments should begin as early as possible after diagnosis of cancer. Like
all other forms of treatment, hyperthermia is more effective before the body has been
seriously damaged by disease.
Who can receive hyperthermia treatments?
Anyone, at any age, although children require more specialized equipment, which we don't
currently have at Valley Cancer Institute.
What is the usual course of treatments?
Though treatment plans are tailored to individuals' needs, a typical course runs five days
a week, for five to eight weeks, with each treatment taking approximately one hour. Most
major insurance carriers offer reimbursement.
At what temperature level is hyperthermia effective?
Tumor areas are heated between 107 and 113 degrees-temperatures that are below the normal
pain threshold. Improvement depends upon many factors, such as site and stage of cancer,
age of patient, immune resistance, etc. Very positive results have been achieved with many
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MAY 2000 LET'S LIVE
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patients-even in
advanced cases. Some individuals may experience an enhanced, pain-free quality of life,
sometimes with increased life expectancy. The tumor response rate varies from 40% to 80%,
depending on location.
Can hyperthermia build
immune enhancement?
Medical evidence indicates
that hyperthermia does not interfere with the immune system, and may, in fact, stimulate
it.
Can hyperthermia enhance
the results of other cancer treatments?
Hyperthermia is quite
effective on its own; however, a large body of medical evidence shows that when
hyperthermia is used in combination with radiation therapy or chemotherapy, there is a
dramatic improvement in response rates.
A recent study comparing
results from leading hyperthermia researchers showed that beneficial responses were
obtained by only 33% of patients treated with radiation alone, compared to 67% when
radiation therapy was combined with hyperthermia. At Valley Cancer Institute, over 40% of
our patients referrals come from physicians who are convinced by similar medical evidence
that when hyperthermia is used in combination with radiation therapy or chemotherapy,
there is a two- to threefold increase in favorable response rates.
What are some of its other
benefits?
For many patients, battling
cancer has also meant fighting constant pain, or relying on strong narcotics like Demerol
or morphine derivatives. Hyperthermia is an excellent alternative to the use of these
additive drugs. Not only is it an effective cancer treatment, but it often dramatically
reduces pain, which allows for better quality of life. Subsequently, this enables many
people to devote more energy to their fight against cancer.
To learn more about
hyperthermia and Bicher’s program at Valley Cancer Institute, visit www.vci.org.
