Oncotherm Loco-Regional Hyperthermia (OLRH) Treatment
Integrated Health ClinicTM Cancer Care Centre is extremely proud to be the first Cancer Care Centre in Canada to offer Oncotherm Loco-Regional Hyperthermia (OLRH) as a leading edge, proven treatment option for cancer patients. OLRH, also refered to as Oncothermia, was founded in Europe twenty years ago. Since that time, OLRH has been accepted by many oncological practitioners and institutions as a viable and successful treatment option. Presently, OLRH is used in 15 countries around the world, and by more than 180 institutions. More than 100,000 OLRH treatments are conducted yearly and have delivered remarkable increases in life expectancy and quality of life.
What is OLRH treatment?
OLRH utilizes heat as a means of therapy, a fundamental practice that has been in use for centuries. Heat can cause considerable damage to living cells, hence the body can only survive for a short time in temperatures in excess of 42°C. However, the destructive force of heat, when applied skillfully, can help to treat cancer. Malignant tumors can be controlled or even recede as a result of targeted OLRH.
OLRH is a noninvasive and particularly gentle method of treatment. This technology, which is widely used in Europe, several Asian countries, and now Canada has demonstrated positive results. There are numourous studies looking at this form of integrative treatment for many and varied forms of cancer. These studies confirm that OLRH enhances the tumor cell-killing effect and delivers local control with survival rate improvements of as much as 200%. Over the past 20 years, OLRH as an integrative therapy, has helped to achieve extended life expectancy and improved quality of life for patients with varying cancer types. OLRH has helped patients realize diminished pain, enhanced mobility, the retardation of tumour growth and ultimately, tumour size reduction.
How does OLRH work?
In OLRH, focused and controlled energy is directed straight to the tissue or organ affected by the tumour. OLRH is a treatment that employs a capacitive coupled deep hyperthermia device to stimulate energy absorption by malignant cells, and the subsequent heating of tumors to temperatures that drive apoptosis.
Details:
Oncothermia is based on the classical method of Hyperthermia (high-heat) but does more than just randomly heat layers of tissue. Oncothermia employs a modulated electric field to selectively deliver a controlled energy dose to a localized treatment area. A mobile electrode is positioned on the treatment area, while a second stationary electrode remains in a fixed position below the patient, integrated within the therapy bed. Operating at a carrier frequency of 13.56 MHz, this capacitive coupled circuit delivers energy directly to the malignant cells.
Microbiological tests have proven that higher ionic concentrations exist in the more active malignant cellular environment. Consequently, the extracellular matrix of malignant tissue inherently has greater conductivity and permittivity than healthy tissue. This difference facilitates selective focus on malignant cells even in highly mixed tissue containing large numbers of healthy and malignant cells. The derived advantage is the electric field tends to flow predominantly through the tumor tissue where the concentration of focused electric energy selectively heats the malignant cells to temperatures > 42oC. This process of natural selection is further enhanced by the electric-field modulation, which addresses the autonomous, non-collective behavior of individual malignant cells by reengaging the body's inherent immune response. Malignant tumor cells then die via a process known as "apoptosis".
This effect of modulated electric field is unique and exclusive to Oncothermia therapy.
Oncothermia can be used to treat a broad spectrum of solid tumors and has proven synergies with current standards of care. Oncothermia is safe, non-invasive, uses no x-rays, and demonstrates no side effects. It can be successfully integrated with other naturopathic protocols including IV Vitamin-C, IV Alpha Lipoic Acid, IV Mistletoe and Ukrain.
The proven benefits of this include:
- Chemo-sensitization. OLRH sensitizes the tumor to complementarily applied chemotherapy because constrained thermodynamic flow effects destabilize the cell membrane, increasing its permeability and structural dysfunction, thereby increasing the absorption rate of the administered chemotherapy agent. OLRH compromises the tumor cell membrane allowing higher intracellular drug concentrations. The positive results of phase II/III trails have established that OLRH with chemotherapy is a novel clinical modality that allows the chemotherapy to be better targeted within the heated tumor.
- Radio-sensitization. OLRH sensitizes the tumor to complementarily applied radiotherapy by oxygenation (increased oxygen delivery to the cells via blood perfusion). The addition of OLRH during a series of radiotherapy treatments improves relevant clinical endpoints such as response rate, local control and overall survival. OLRH increases oxygenation, thus reducing hypoxia and amplifying the radiation cytotoxic effect. OLRH also inhibits the repair of radiation damaged tumor cells.
- Immune System Response. OLRH triggers antigen expression through the compromised malignant cellular membrane. Of particular significance is the release of heat shock proteins (HSP) that promotes a natural immune response destructive to the tumor. Danger signals such as mobility group B1 protein, ATP and HSP, which are released from treated necrotic tumor cells, stimulate the natural immune system and therefore assist the anti-tumor response. OLRH also stimulates the re-establishment of adherent connections (β-catenins, E-cadherins) that play a key role in triggering apoptosis and suppressing malignant cell dissemination.
- Gene Activation. OLRH activates the p53 tumor suppressor gene.
- Surgical Procedures. OLRH has application in the post-surgical setting to treat potential rogue cells liberated via biopsy or surgery.
- OLRH is clinically proven with over 100,000 treatments administered yearly at facilities worldwide.
- OLRH devices are manufactured and tested to strict ISO 9001 and ISO 13458 quality standards.
Can OLRH be combined with other forms of treatment?
OLRH has proven to be complementary to other treatments. In fact, it enhances the beneficial effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Even a tumor which was resistant to chemo and radiation therapy initially, may respond again to these therapies following OLRH treatment.
Which cancers can be treated through OLRH?
OLRH treats the following cancers:
- Brain tumours
- ENT tumours (Ear, Nose, Throat, Esophagus)
- Lymph node metastases and local lymphomas
- Lung and liver tumours and metastases
- Skin cancer and skin metastases of various primary tumours
- Cancers of the stomach, colorectal and bladder
- Pancreatic cancer
- Gynecologic cancers (Breast, Ovarian, Cervical)
- Prostate cancer
Examples of additional average survival times after OLRH treatment, compared to standard of care alone as registered in the SEER database. (SEER - US National Cancer Agency Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program)
Are there any adverse side-effects to OLRH?
Heating the tumour has minimal effect on adjacent healthy tissue; some slight skin reddening can occur. This effect is mitigated through regular patient communication during treatment. Also, the body’s natural circulation is extremely efficient and soon dissipates the heat - something the tumor is not capable of because of its more primitive blood supply.
Cancer patients can now benefit from the historical successes recorded by this treatment here at home, in Fort Langley, British Columbia... the only location in North America.
To download a detailed PDF brochure explaining OLRH, please Click Here.
For additional information and details on this exciting new technology available at Integrated Health ClinicTM Cancer Care Centre please feel free to contact us at:
Email: info@integratedhealthclinic.com
Or call us today to schedule an appointment with our FABNO Naturopathic Oncologists to learn more about how Oncothermia can help you: 604.888.8325.
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