Enhancing Radiotherapy with Hyperthermia to Boost Immune Response
Enhancing Radiotherapy with Hyperthermia to Boost Immune Response
A recent systematic review by Van Dieren and colleagues, published in Cancers in 2024, examined how combining radiotherapy with hyperthermia could amplify anti-tumor immune effects, particularly the abscopal effect, in cancer patients. The review focused on studies involving patients receiving radiation therapy for solid tumors, exploring how the addition of controlled heat could influence immune activation and potentially improve outcomes beyond the localized treatment area.
The interventions evaluated include conventional radiotherapy alone versus radiotherapy combined with local or whole-body hyperthermia. Hyperthermia was applied at temperatures sufficient to stress tumor cells without harming normal tissue. The review highlights evidence that heat can increase tumor cell sensitivity to radiation, enhance antigen presentation, and stimulate cytokine release, thereby promoting a systemic immune response. These mechanisms may help the body recognize and attack tumor cells at sites distant from the radiation field—the so-called abscopal effect.
The outcomes reported across multiple studies indicate that patients receiving combined therapy showed enhanced immune activity, including increased infiltration of cytotoxic T cells into tumors and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. While most studies were preclinical or early-phase clinical trials, the findings support a synergistic role for hyperthermia in augmenting radiotherapy’s immunologic impact. Importantly, the review notes that patient selection, timing, and temperature control are critical factors for maximizing efficacy and safety.
This systematic review suggests that integrating hyperthermia with radiotherapy may offer a promising strategy to boost the body’s immune response against cancer. It highlights both the safety and potential immune benefits of an integrated approach.
Reference:
Asgharian, P., Tazekand, A.P., Hosseini, K. et al. Potential mechanisms of quercetin in cancer prevention: focus on cellular and molecular targets. Cancer Cell Int 22, 257 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-022-02677-w
Van Dieren L, Quisenaerts T, Licata M, Beddok A, Lellouch AG, Ysebaert D, Saldien V, Peeters M, Gorbaslieva I. Combined Radiotherapy and Hyperthermia: A Systematic Review of Immunological Synergies for Amplifying Radiation-Induced Abscopal Effects. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Oct 30;16(21):3656. doi: 10.3390/cancers16213656. PMID: 39518094; PMCID: PMC11545184.
