Anyone interested in the “fourth pillar” for cancer treatment? Not just another drug or another method for delivering “hard” (ionizing) radiation to treat cancer. Instead, a new type of therapy -- proven safe and effective -- that works very well for ablating (destroying) tumors and also strongly augments (adjuvant use) the other three basic methods (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy). Just one example of an important adjuvant use is in releasing Celsion’s heat-release Thermodox. Heating a tumor to a high-fever level insures that the encapsulated drug is delivered just to the tumor, where the encapsulation melts – sparing the rest of the body from the ravages of the powerful drug. And, the heated tumor is made far more permeable, so far more of the drug is introduced inside the tumor. I have seen ten-fold delivery increase mentioned. Since many such drug encapsulations are likely to be developed, precision heating of tumors will be much more important than any single drug.
For surgery, tumor-heating can substantially reduce the size of the tumor before the operation. For radiotherapy, heating interferes with the tumor’s own defense mechanisms. These adjuvant effects are not small. For many situations, a doubling of efficacy has been reported.
Both the ablation and adjuvant uses of heat are made possible by developments that provide intense, highly-focused heating anywhere in the body. Usage is worldwide, but still at introductory levels. For discussion, see Subject 58903
References:
http://investor.bsdmedical.com/press-release/clinical-trials-and-research/bsd-medical-reports-international-scientists-organize-adv
“The team, known as the “Atzelberg Circle,” includes leading researchers from multiple internationally-renowned cancer research centers. The purpose of the meeting was to develop strategies to advance hyperthermia as standard cancer therapy in combination with radiation and chemotherapy.”
http://investor.bsdmedical.com/press-release/product-updates-and-industry-developments/bsd-announces-hyperthermia-featured-fourth-p |
