Radio frequency hyperthermia of advanced human sarcomas

Our plain-English summary of Radio frequency hyperthermia of advanced human sarcomas, by F.K. Storm, R.S. Elliott, W.H. Harrison, et al (Journal of Surgical Oncology, 1981).

The study

• Authors: F.K. Storm, R.S. Elliott, W.H. Harrison, L.R. Kaiser, D.L. Morton
• Journal: Journal of Surgical Oncology
• Published: 1981;17(2):91-8
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 20 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Hyperthermia greater than or equal to 42 degrees C is tumoricidal in vitro and in many animal models, although such temperatures have only recently been achieved experimentally in some human cancers. A recently developed radio frequency device that provides safe hyperthermia to any depth without surface tissue injury now permits evaluation of the effects of hyperthermia on advanced human sarcomas. Twelve patients with large sarcomas located intraabdominally [7], in the chest wall [2], proximal extremity [2], and the neck [1], were evaluated in this study. Tumor types include liposarcoma [3], rhabdomyosarcoma [2], leiomyosarcoma [2], neurofibrosarcoma [2], and one each malignant mesothelioma, undifferentiated sarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Intratumor temperatures greater than or equal to 42 degrees C were observed in all tumors, with virtually no normal tissue injury. Selective tumor heating greater than or equal to 45 degrees C occurred in 9/12 (75%) and greater than or equal to 50 degrees C in 6/12 (50%). One to five weekly treatments greater than or equal to 50 degrees C and ten daily treatments greater than or equal to 45 degrees C resulted in significant tumor necrosis and pain relief in some patients. Hyperthermia of advanced sarcomas is possible with little host toxicity and may be of potential therapeutic benefit.

In plain English

This 1981 study from UCLA was not about asbestos. It tested radio frequency heating (hyperthermia) as an experimental treatment in 12 patients, six men and six women aged 19 to 82, whose large sarcomas had not responded to standard therapy such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. One of the 12 tumors was a malignant mesothelioma. The article does not say where that tumor was located, does not mention asbestos, and does not describe that patient's outcome separately in its text. Tumor temperatures of at least 42°C were reached in all 12 tumors, at least 45°C in 9 of 12 (75%), and at least 50°C in 6 of 12 (50%), with no normal tissue injury reported. Ten daily treatments at 45°C or more consistently produced a high degree of tumor necrosis (dead tumor tissue), but tumor size was virtually unchanged. Two patients had temporary ileus (a stalled bowel). Three of seven patients with significant tumor pain had considerable pain relief. The authors concluded that potentially effective hyperthermia may be achieved in these tumors with minimal host toxicity.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Small uncontrolled clinical series of experimental hyperthermia treatment, with one detailed case report
• Who was studied: 12 patients (6 men, 6 women, aged 19 to 82) at UCLA with sarcomas 5 to 15 cm in size that had not responded to standard therapy. The tumors were 3 liposarcomas, 2 rhabdomyosarcomas, 2 leiomyosarcomas, 2 neurofibrosarcomas, and one each of malignant mesothelioma, undifferentiated sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Seven were inside the abdomen, two in the chest wall, two in a proximal limb and one in the neck.
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure was studied. The intervention was radio frequency hyperthermia, delivered with contact electrodes or a Magnetrode device, given once, weekly for 2 to 5 weeks, or daily for 10 days.
• Main results:
  • All 12 tumors reached at least 42°C. Selective tumor heating to at least 45°C was achieved in 9/12 (75%) and to at least 50°C in 6/12 (50%), with no normal tissue injury.
  • Ten daily treatments at 45°C or more consistently showed a high degree of tumor necrosis.
  • Overall tumor size was virtually unchanged, even in effectively heated tumors.
  • Two patients had transient ileus that resolved.
  • Of seven patients with significant tumor-associated pain, three experienced considerable pain relief.
  • Case report: a 51-year-old woman with a 15 cm chest wall sarcoma received three weekly treatments at 50°C or more. The specimen removed at surgery showed nearly complete vascular thrombosis and at least 95% necrosis. She later had a local recurrence at 11 months and died after surgery of a pulmonary embolus.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that potentially effective hyperthermia may be achieved in these tumors with minimal host toxicity.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Sarcoma, Malignant Mesothelioma, Necrosis.

Related studies

• Complete pathological response to neoadjuvant pemetrexed/cisplatin in combination with regional hyperthermia in a patient with sarcomatoid peritoneal mesothelioma — S. Kruger, M.K. Angele, et al. (2014)
• A predictive assay for human tumor cellular response to hyperthermia using dansyl lysine staining and flow cytometry — S.Y. Woo, G.C. Rice, et al. (1988)
• Hyperthermia and mafosfamide in a human-derived malignant pleural mesothelioma cell line — E.M. Ehlers, W. Kühnel, et al. (2002)
• Toxicity of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in pediatric patients with sarcomatosis/carcinomatosis: early experience and phase 1 results — A. Hayes-Jordan, H. Green, et al. (2012)
• Anesthetic management and renal function in pediatric patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with continuous hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) with cisplatin — P. Owusu-Agyemang, R. Arunkumar, et al. (2012)
• Utility of Chemoresponse Assay in Patients Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery Plus Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy — S. Bhagwandin, S. Naffouje, et al. (2015)

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