Hyperthermia is a type of treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures (up to 113ºF), to damage and kill cancer cells, or to make cancer cells more sensitive to the effects of radiation and certain anticancer drugs. Local hyperthermia treatment (heat applied to a very small area, such as a tumor) is a well-established cancer treatment method with a simple basic principle: If a rise in temperature to 106ºF can be obtained for one hour within a cancer tumor, the cancer cells will be destroyed. Primary malignant tumors have a bad blood circulation, which make them more sensitive to changes in temperature. In local hyperthermia, heat is applied to a small area, such as a tumor, using various techniques that deliver energy to heat the tumor. Different types of energy may be used to apply heat, including microwave, radiofrequency, and ultrasound. Depending on the tumor location, there are several approaches to local hyperthermia:

CANCER FACTS

National Cancer Institute National Institutes of Health Hyperthermia, a procedure in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures (up to 113 F), is under investigation to assess its effectiveness in the treatment of cancer. Scientists think that heat may help shrink tumors by damaging cells or depriving them of substances they need to live. They are studying local, regional, and whole-body hyperthermia, using external and internal heating devices. Hyperthermia is almost always used with other forms of therapy (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and biological therapy) to try to increase their effectiveness.

It is known that heating areas of the body that contain a cancer, or heating the tumour itself, may help to kill cancer cells. This treatment exposes the body tissue to high temperatures, between 40°-45°C (104º-113ºF), without harming surrounding healthy tissue. The normal body temperature is 37°C (98.6 ºF).

Local Hyperthermia (Indiba):

A heat therapy using current technology with deep heating of the local tissue area. A very high local heat is produced, particularly in firm tissue. Tumor cells do not support this level of heat, and die while healthy tissue is strengthened in the heat. Metabolism is also increased by this treatment. Hyperthermia is applied locally and is totally painless. Application is ideally done 5 times per week; for some individuals, this treatment works well with fewer applications. This therapy is a specialty of Hope4Cancer Institute and is practiced nowhere else in Mexico. Within about twenty treatments, the tumor tissue can be regenerated bringing about a scarring over and connective tissue change in the tumor.

Why is the INDIBA method different?

Through the INDIBA method energy from a radio frequency current is directly dissipated in depth inside the tissues between the electrodes. This, in a comparison with heating obtained via external heat sources, avoids the need to go through the skin barrier, thus wasting a large proportion of the generated energy. In comparison with other techniques using radio frequencies, the low frequency used by the INDIBA equipment avoids contraindications like the presence of metal prostheses, use on eyes, varicose veins, scalp, and other sensitive areas which can be successfully treated. Particular advantages have been reported in ophthalmological uses (hypertext to references) INDIBA treatment units employ either a capacitive or resistive currents to induce deep regional hyperthermia. The concentration of power and the increase in temperature is obtained internally in the areas where the movable electrode is placed. Vasodilation is induced with the result that blood circulation is improved. The patient therefore does not experience the unpleasant sensation of being treated with an electric current and consequently there is normally a high patient tolerance of the treatment. Moreover, there are no known side effects or contraindications with this method, which is absolutely harmless.

Effects of the procedure:

• Increase in blood and lymph circulation
• Increase of oxygen pressure
• Decrease in carbonic acid production and decrease in tissue acidity
• Increase in internal temperature
• Revitalization on a cellular level
• Increased activity of the immune system locally

Oncology action of hyperthermia

• Greater heat sensitivity of neoplastic tissues to hyperthermia due to its chronic ischemia and hypoxia and acid pH.
• Lethal effect on tumoral cells at a temperature of 43Deg C., depending on the application time. The application of repeated moderate hyperthermia at between 39 – 41 degrees C can also produce a temporary growth stabilization.
• Prolonged action of the temperature inside the tumor - due to lower thermal dissipation caused by a chronic ischemia, as a result of its reduced vaso-regulation mechanisms, that increases to an even greater degree of its ischemia, hypoxia and acidity typical of tumor tissue.
• Alterations in the cycle of the neoplastic cells, which lead to the blocking of the mitosis in part of the cell population. The blocking seems to be due to a disruption in the synthesis phase of DNA (S-phase of the cell cycle).
• Hyperthermia has a more marked action on the central core of tumor -necrotic, ischemic, hypoxic and with low pH-, which is less sensitive to radiation. In the tumor periphery -vascularized and with greater cell growth-, radiotherapy is more effective. The benefits of a combined action of Hyperthermia and RT and/or ChT were demonstrated many years ago.
• It can facilitate apoptosis mechanisms, self -destruction of cells, which are normally absent in tumoral cells.
• The "athermic" effect of the INDIBA RF generator on cell cultures has shown a significant decrease of the neoplastic cell population and no undesirable effects on normal cells. This could be related to changes of the electrical potential of the neoplastic tissues.