Pros and cons of hyperthermia. Second of a two part reply (long because I have not yet finished Post 0, which is intended to eventually cover the relatively large amount of material needed to well understand BSDM as an investment opportunity.
From Geoff's link:
<Pros and cons of hyperthermia>
<A major advantage of regional and whole body hyperthermia is that they seem to make other forms of cancer treatment work better. Heating cancer cells to temperatures above normal (up to as high as 113° F) makes them easier to destroy using radiation and certain chemotherapy drugs. And local hyperthermia, such as RFA, can use very high temperatures to destroy tumors without surgery.>
True – except for the “seem”. Convincing proof now exists, and some theory to back up the data. But, MWA is far better than RFA, and the above also ignores a very important new chemo approach: encapsulating drugs in substances that melt at higher than body temperature levels (example, ”Thermodox”). Then, the drug is a) released only near the heated tumor (sparing the rest of the body from the well-known ravages of regular chemotherapy) and b) more of the drug gets inside the tumor because it is made more permeable due to the higher temperatures. Ten-fold increases in drug delivery inside the tumor have been reported!
<Careful temperature control is a must. Scientists agree that hyperthermia works best when the area being treated is kept within an exact temperature range for a certain period of time. But this isn’t always easy to do. ***Right now there is no way to accurately measure the temperature inside a tumor.*** ***And keeping an area at a constant temperature without affecting nearby tissues can be tricky, too.*** To add to this, not all body tissues respond the same way to heat – some are more sensitive than others. For example, the brain is very sensitive to heat.>
Oooops! The ***ed statements are not correct! They amount to good proof of the “dated” nature of the article. BSDM touts their temperature probe, which does in fact provide those necessary measurements (it is a unique capability they own – I know it well, I sold it to them many years ago).
<Another problem is monitoring the temperature at the site being treated. ***Small thermometers on the ends of probes can be placed in the treatment areas to be sure the temperature stays within the desired range. *** Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a newer way that temperature can be monitored without putting in probes, and this has become the preferred method for most.>
Note that this ***d statement conflicts with the earlier two. And, BSDM is the leader in the MRI method, as well. While they do not make MRI machines, they work closely with the two world leaders in that industry: GE and Seimens.
<Side effects>
<The possible side effects of hyperthermia depend on the technique being used and the part of the body being treated. Most side effects are short-term, but some can be serious.
Local or regional hyperthermia can cause pain at the site, infection, bleeding, blood clots, swelling, burns, blistering, and damage to the skin, muscles, and nerves near the treated area.>
Yes, but that has largely been overcome by better technology and clinical practice. This is especially true for MW heating. RF heating is substantially more hazardous. BSDM is first and foremost in mastering the necessary tech for highly-focused, precise heating; anywhere in the body – small regions and large.
<The future of hyperthermia>
<Hyperthermia is a promising way to improve cancer treatment, but it is largely an experimental technique at this time and is not commonly used. Many clinical trials of hyperthermia are being done to better understand and improve this technique. For instance, the use of nanoparticles and the induction heating of magnetic materials that are implanted into tumors are some new types of hyperthermia that are under study. And researchers continue to look at how hyperthermia is best used along with other cancer treatments to improve outcomes.>
Highly dated! Many of those trials are done an others well along. The results are VERY good. Many of these trials are noted at the BSDM website.
<Studies are also looking at ways to reach deeper organs and other sites that cannot be treated with hyperthermia at this time. Current studies are looking at how it might work to treat many types of cancer, including the following:> (long list deleted)
Another statement that is way behind. Those developments and studies are either accomplished or nearing so. |
