Whole-Body Hyperthermia Combined With Chemotherapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Whole-Body Hyperthermia Combined With Chemotherapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Hegewisch-Becker and colleagues conducted a phase II study evaluating whether adding whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) to a chemotherapy regimen could benefit patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who had already received prior treatments. The study enrolled adults with advanced, pretreated disease and investigated whether WBH could enhance the effects of oxaliplatin, high-dose leucovorin, and a 48-hour continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
The intervention included bimonthly chemotherapy combined with WBH, during which patients were heated to 41.8°C under controlled conditions. The comparison was historical outcomes from similar chemotherapy regimens without hyperthermia, as all participants in this phase II study received the combined approach. Primary outcomes included tumor response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and treatment tolerability.
Results showed that the combined therapy produced measurable clinical activity. Some patients experienced partial responses or disease stabilization, suggesting that hyperthermia may enhance chemotherapy effectiveness by increasing tumor blood flow, drug uptake, and sensitivity to cytotoxic effects. Side effects were consistent with expected chemotherapy toxicities, and WBH was generally feasible, though intensive supportive care was required during treatment sessions.
For patients who already undergo hyperthermia as part of integrative oncology care, these findings highlight the potential for WBH to strengthen the impact of systemic therapies. While this was an early-phase study and not directly comparable to modern regimens, it contributes to the evidence base supporting hyperthermia as a synergistic partner in colorectal cancer treatment.
Reference:
Hegewisch-Becker S, Gruber Y, Corovic A, Pichlmeier U, Atanackovic D, Nierhaus A, Hossfeld DK. Whole-body hyperthermia (41.8°C) combined with bimonthly oxaliplatin, high-dose leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil 48-hour continuous infusion in pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer: a phase II study. Ann Oncol. 2002;13(8):1197-1204. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdf216. PMID: 12181242.
