Authors: Rau B, Wust P, Tilly W, Gellermann J, Harder C, Riess H, Budach V, Felix R, Schlag PM.
Publication: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2000 Sep 1;48(2):381-91.
PURPOSE:
Preoperative radiochemotherapy (RCT) is a widely used means of treatment for patients suffering from primary, locally advanced, or recurrent rectal cancer. We evaluated the efficacy of treatment due to additional application of regional hyperthermia (HRCT) to this conventional therapy regime in a Phase II study, employing the annular phased-array system BSD-2000 (SIGMA-60 applicator). The clinical results of the trial were encouraging. We investigated the relationship between a variety of thermal and clinical parameters in order to assess the adequacy of thermometry, the effectiveness of hyperthermia therapy, and its potential contribution to clinical endpoints.