Thermoradiotherapy and Thermochemotherapy

Hyperthermia has been found to be of great benefit in combination with radiation therapy or chemotherapy in the management of patients with difficult and com plicated tumor problems. It has been demonstrated to increase the efficacy of ionizing radiation when used locally but also has been of help in combination with systemic chemotherapy where hyperthermia is carried out to the total body. Triple modality (thermo-chemo-radiotherapy) or other treatment combinations have not been fully evaluated and may demonstrate extended clinical applications in the future. Problems remain with regard to maximizing the effects of hyperthermia as they are influenced by a variety of external and intrinsic factors including bloodflow, microenvironment etc. While the previous volume has summarized more theoretical aspects of hyper thermia, i.e. biology, physiology and physics, the present volume compiles the current knowledge relative to the clinical applications of hyperthermia in combina tion with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, providing a comprehensive over view of its use in cancer management.