Dr A. Szasz & Dr O. Szasz, Department of Biotechnics, Faculty of Engineering, St. István University, Budapest, Hungary. Szasz.Andras@gek.szie.hu
Objective – Modulated RF-conductive heating (Oncothermia, OT) has twenty years experience in practices of clinical oncology [1]. During this long time, a huge number of patients were treated with the method in their advanced states, in combination with conventional therapies, or sometimes, when those were fall, applied as monotherapy. Our present objective is to show the results for advanced cancers from laboratory to the clinical applications.
Methods – Time-fractal modulated radiofrequency (RF) current flows through the patient’s body between the two electrodes of an appropriate condenser. (The method is technically described elsewhere [2].) Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies were performed [3], [4], evaluating histomorphologically and immunohistochemically the processes and show the special apoptotic effects induced by OT treatment. Clinically OT is applied in higher (usually third and subsequent) treatmentlines, boosting or resensitizing the effect of the conventional therapies, and it is also applied in the cases when the conventional therapies failed. A session of the treatment is 60 min, and made 2-3 times a week by 3 weeks duration.
Results – Clinical results are shown in high number of various advanced cases at different malignant localizations, as well as clinical studies were performed to proof statistically the benefits of the OT treatment [5]. The safety for the sensitive central nervous system is independently shown in a study [6]. Case reports show definite and significant advantages of OT in high-line treatments (3rd-line or over), also in cases of anyway complicated primary and secondary localizations, like brain tumors (primary and metastatic), primary and metastatic brain [7], lung [8], liver primary [9] and metastatic [10], pancreas [11], etc.
Conclusions – Summary of our results conclude the feasibility of the OT and despite of the high-line treatments shows definite evidences of its benefit. Both prospective and comparative retrospective studies show significant better results than their control counterpart. OT is a scientifically established, effective new technique for advanced solid malignancies, representing a good candidate for the breast [12] and other gynecological malignancies [13] as well.
References
[1] Szasz A, Szasz O, Szasz N: (2001) Electrohyperthermia A new paradigm in cancer therapy. Wissenschaft & Forschung, Deutsche Zeitschrift für Onkologie 33:91-99 Fiorentini G, Szasz A (2006) Hyperthermia Today: Electric energy, a new opportunity in cancer treatment. Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics 2:41-46
[2] Szasz A (2006) Physical background and technical realization of hyperthermia. In: Baronzio GF, Hager ED (eds) Locoregional Radiofrequency-Perfusional- and Wholebody- Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment: New clinical aspects, Ch 3, Springer Science Eurekah.com, pp. 27-59
[3] Andocs G et al (2009) Strong synergy of heat and modulated electromagnetic field in tumor cell killing, Study of HT29 xenograft tumors in a nude mice model. Radiology and Oncology (Strahlentherapie und Onkologie) 185:120-126
[4] Andocs G, Szasz O, Szasz A (2009) Oncothermia treatment of cancer: from the laboratory to clinic. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine 28:148-165
[5] Szasz A et al (2005) Retrospective analysis of 1180 oncological patients treated by electro-hyperthermia in Hungary. Jahreskongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO 11, Karlsruhe, 26-29 May 2005
[6] Wismeth C et al (2009) Transcranial electro-hyperthermia combined with alkylating chemotherapy in patients with relapsing high-grade gliomas – Phase I clinical results. J.Neuro-oncology, accepted for publication, in print, 2010
[7] Sahinbas H et al (2006) Retrospective clinical study of adjuvant electro-hyperthermia treatment for advanced braingliomas. Deutche Zeitschrifts fuer Onkologie 39:154-160
[8] Dani A et al. (2004) Treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer by electro-hyperthermia. Strahlenbiologie und Medizinische Physik Deutscher Kongress für Radioonkologie, DEGRO, Erfurt 10-13 June 2004
[9] Ferrari VD et al (2007) Deep electro-hyperthermia (EHY) with or without thermo-active agents in patients with advanced hepatic cell carcinoma: phase II study. Journal of Clinical Oncology 25:18S-15168
[10] Hager ED et al (1999) Deep hyperthermia with radiofrequencies in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. Anticancer Res 19(4C):3403-3408
[11] Dani A, Varkonyi A, Magyar T, Szász A (2008) Clinical study for advanced pancreas cancer treated by oncothermia. Forum Hyperthermie, 1:13-20
[12] ”Mamatherm Study” (http://www.brustkrebs-studien.de/studienansicht.html?study_id=205 ). Investigator Prof.Dr. H.Sommer, Ludwigs Maximillian University, Munich, Germany
[13] Renner H (2007): Oncothermia in gynecologic cancer, Conference on Gynecology, Hotel Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, Korea