1. New publication of Vaupel et al. in Cancers on the multitude of mechanisms responsible for improving cancer oxygenation as radiosensitizing effect of hyperthermia
Locoregional mild hyperthermia (mHT) of 39–42°C can increase the efficacy of radiotherapy, allowing for reduced total doses and toxicity in specific clinical situations. One of the basic mHT-related radiosensitizing effects is an improved tumor oxygenation, primarily due to an enhanced microcirculatory blood flow. In this publication the authors review the relevant data and discuss additional underlying biological mechanisms including
•short-term effects. supposed to be the prime driver: “Vasodilation of co-opted vessels and upstream normal tissue vasculature, decreases in viscous resistance to flow, increasing O2 diffusivities and O2 extraction rates, and facilitated O2 unloading from oxyhemoglobin due to right-shifts of the HbO2-dissociation curve by HT per se and intensified tumor acidosis”,
and
•more sustained effects: “Reduction in interstitial fluid pressure and -possibly- VEGF-triggered angiogenesis”. The authors consider a significant improvement in tumor oxygenation due to an HT-related, questionable reduction in the respiratory activity of the tumor cells to be unlikely.
The mHT-related better oxygenation status of the tumor microenvironment may also improve the efficacy of anti-tumor immune responses and of oxygen-dependent chemotherapies.
Download of the open access publication: Vaupel P, Piazena H, Notter M, Thomsen AR, Grosu AL, Scholkmann F, Pockley AG, Multhoff G. From localized mild hyperthermia to improved tumor oxygenation: Physiological mechanisms critically involved in oncologic thermo-radio-immunotherapy. Cancers 2023,15,1394. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15051394
The conclusion of the publication greatly supports the sequence and timing of combined thermography-controlled wIRA superficial HT and re-RT as suggested by Notter et al. (2017, 2020, 2021): Hyperthermia directly before (re-)irradiation with a time gap as short as possible (< 5 minutes).
2. ESIO-Update 30th of March 2023 in Zurich (GERMAN LANGUAGE)
On the 30th of March 2023, the European Society for Integrative Oncology (ESIO) will organize a meeting “ESIO Update 2023: Präzision – Personalisiert – Integrativ” in Zurich.
heckel is a sponsor of the event and present with a booth.
Among other most interesting lectures, the radiooncologist Dr. Julian Weingärtner from Charite Berlin, Radiooncology, will talk on “Immunonkologie und Hyperthermie”. Charite Berlin, Radiooncology , will soon start a clinical protocol "POWER - Potential of moderate whole body hyperthermia to enhance response", using the heckel-HT3000 whole-body hyperthermia device.
3. CME on hypofractionation organized by Ordensklinikum Linz / Radiooncology (GERMAN LANGUAGE)
On the 20th/21st of April 2023 Ordensklinikum Linz, Radiooncology, will organize a CME titled “Hypofraktionierung - Neue Ansätze und Entwicklungen in der Strahlentherapie“.
heckel is a sponsor of the event and present with a booth.
Ordensklinikum Linz, Radiooncology, applies hypofractionated radiation protocols combined with wIRA superficial hyperthermia device hydrosun®TWH1500.
4. 38th Annual Society for Thermal Medicine Meeting from 23 th - 27th of April 2023 in San Diego / USA
From 23.-27. April 2023, the Society for Thermal Medicine (STM) organizes the 38th Annual Meeting in San Diego.
heckel is a silver sponsor of the event and present with a booth.
Radiooncologist and pioneer of thermography-controlled wIRA superficial hyperthermia Dr. Markus Notter will talk on "Patients with fungating recurrent breast cancer: Long-term follow-up after combined wIRA-hyperthermia and re-irradiation", Clinical Session 1, Tuesday, 25 April, 2023.
5. New international registrations of hydrosun®TWH1500 and heckel-HT3000
After long efforts, our Taiwanese exclusive representative HOSHI achieved the Taiwanese medical device registration for the superficial hyperthermia hydrosun®TWH1500 device. It is a great step to make thermography thermographic-controlled wIRA superficial hyperthermia available for patients in Taiwan.
