THERMORADIOTHERAPY IN LOCALLY ADVANCED DEEP SEATED TUMORS - THERMAL PARAMETERS AND TREATMENT RESULTS

From October 1987 to December 1990 a total of 37 patients with deep seated tumours of the pelvis (n = 34), the abdomen (n = 2), or lower leg (n = 1) were treated with radiotherapy and regional hyperthermia. Hyperthermia was produced by the BSD-1000 system and the annular phased array (AA) applicator usually driven at 60-80 MHz, or the BSD-2000 system and the Sigma-60 (S 60) applicator usually driven at 70-90 MHz. Detailed thermal mapping and temperature analysis was performed on 29 patients. The overall mean maximum, average and minimum temperature observed was 42.9 +/- 2.4-degrees-C, 40.9 +/- 1.5-degrees-C, and 39.3 +/- 0.9-degrees-C for all treatments. The time-averaged tumour temperatures achieved in 20%, 50% and 90% of all measured temperature sites were 41.8 +/- 2.1-degrees-C (T20), 40.9 +/- 1.6-degrees-C (T50), and 39.9 +/- 1.2-degrees-C (T90). In addition, the overall mean maximum, average and minimum temperature measured in normal tissue was 42.4 +/- 1.4-degrees-C, 40.6 +/- 1.0-degrees-C, and 39.2 +/- 0.9-degrees-C. The time averaged normal tissue temperatures achieved in 20%, 50% and 90% of all measured temperature sites were 41.3 +/- 1.1-degrees-C, 40.6 +/- 1.1-degrees-C, and 39.6 +/- 1.0-degrees-C. In 36 assessable patients, the overall objective response rate was 31%: 2 complete responses (CR) and 9 partial responses (PR).