APLICACIÓN Y EVOLUCIÓN DE LAS TERAPIAS TÉRMICAS CONTRA EL CÁNCER ALREDEDOR DEL MUNDO

Abstract

The purpose of thermal therapies is to increase locally or whole-body temperature over the usual body temperature (37°C) to achieve therapeutic effects in cancer treatment by means of hyperthermia or thermal ablation. During oncologic hyperthermia, tumor temperature rises between 41-43°C; meanwhile, ablation therapy achieves temperature increments in the treatment region between 60-100°C. Some technologies use electromagnetic (EM) waves, such as radiofrequency (RF) and microwaves (MW), to induce hyperthermia by using one or more external applicators which are placed above a water bolus that is located over the patient skin in the treatment zone. On the other hand, one or more micro-coaxial antennas are inserted in the tumor during thermal ablation. In the last years, there has been an increase in research on thermal therapies effects by carrying out clinical essays, combined treatments, nanoparticles use, among others. China, USA and some other countries in Europe are leading the development of thermal therapies technology and its clinical applications. The goal of this work is to describe thermal therapies, such as hyperthermia and ablation, in cancer treatment; moreover, it depicts an overall panorama of the newest advances in thermal therapies around the world.