How does it work?
As cancerous tumors grow rapidly, their need for blood quickly begins to exceed their blood supply. Often major portions of cancerous tumors therefore become blood starved. Blood starved tumors are resistant to both radiation and chemotherapy. Blood-borne chemotherapy drugs cannot effectively penetrate tumors with poor blood flow. Poor blood flow also leaves tumors oxygen starved, making it difficult for radiation therapy to form the oxygen radicals need to destroy cancer cell DNA.

When a tumor is heated to fever level (a condition called hyperthermia), its blood vessels expand so that more blood can flow into the tumor and carry away the excess heat. Hyperthermia therapy is therefore used to get more blood-borne chemotherapy drug into the tumor through increased blood flow. Since blood is also the source of oxygen for tumors, hyperthermia oxygenates tumors so that radiation therapy can more effectively form the oxygen radicals required to kill cancer cells.

Can Hyperthermia therapy help you?
In both clinical trials and medical practice, hyperthermia has demonstrated the ability to substantially increase the effectiveness of radiation and some chemotherapeutic agents. The use of hyperthermia alone, and in conjunction with radiotherapy, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced, recurrent, and persistent tumors, upon authorization of a licensed practitioner. For complete information on the FDA approved treatment of hyperthermia alone, or hyperthermia used in conjunction with radiotherapy, including effectiveness information, warnings, precautions, side effects and contraindications, and other relevant information, see "Indications and Use of the BSD-500 Hyperthermia System", included below. Many clinical studies have shown that hyperthermia can increase the effectiveness of some chemotherapeutic agents but hyperthermia and chemotherapy treatment is currently investigational in the United States. To determine whether hyperthermia therapy is right for you, contact one or more of the providers listed on this website and discuss your condition.

How can you learn more?
Click to download a more detailed paper entitled "Hyperthermia as a Cancer Therapy".

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