Background/aims: Hyperthermia has long been used in combination with radiation for the treatment of cancers. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy safety and impact on the immune function of the abdominal hyperthermia combining with radiotherapy.
Methodology: Sixty-eight patients with post-operative local recurrent gastric carcinoma were divided randomly into two groups. Patients in 3DCRT+HT group received three-dimensional conformal radio therapy combined with abdominal hyperthermia while patients from 3DCRT group only received the three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy. The differences of efficacy, toxicity and the impact on immune function between two kinds of therapies were compared.
Results: Response rate in 3DCRT+HT group was 57.2%, which was significant higher than that in 3DCRT group (47.1%) (P=0.04). Median local progression-free survival time of 3DCRT+HT group (14 months) was significantly longer than 3DCRT group (11 months). The peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets analyses showed that, after the treatment, CD3+, CD4+, NK level and CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased significantly, while there was no significant alterations for those immunological parameters in 3DCRT group.
Conclusion: Abdominal hyperthermia combined with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy could gain higher response rate, prolong median local progression-free survival time and improve immune function for the post-operative recurrentgastric cancer.