The Emerging Evidence Supporting Integration of Deep Regional Hyperthermia With Chemoradiation in Bladder Cancer

For decades, the antineoplastic potential of hyperthermia alone or in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy has been subject of intensive preclinical and clinical research in various tumor entities. The clinical evidence on the beneficial effects of addi-tional hyperthermia in combination with intravesical Mitomycin C for superficial non -mus-cle-invasive bladder cancer as well as for deep regional microwave hyperthermia techniques applied during an external beam radiotherapy or chemoradiation treatment for more advanced tumors are summarized. In some series, deep regional hyperthermia in combination with an initial transurethral resection and Cisplatin-based chemoradiation increased the 5-year overall survival rates up to 20%. The presented data justifies a fresh irrespective chance for mild regional hyperthermia in the context of new progressive pro-spective trials on multimodality treatment for bladder preservation. Semin Radiat Oncol 33:82-90 (c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

For decades, the antineoplastic potential of hyperthermia alone or in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy has been extensively researched in various tumor entities. This article summarizes the clinical evidence on the beneficial effects of additional hyperthermia in combination with intravesical Mitomycin C for superficial non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, as well as deep regional microwave hyperthermia techniques used during external beam radiotherapy or chemoradiation for more advanced tumors. The presented data justifies further prospective trials on multimodality treatment for bladder preservation, including mild regional hyperthermia.