Hyperthermia Explained Simply
Hyperthermia involves the targeted warming of tissue or the whole body. This page explains in simple terms what has been studied and what remains open.
1. What It Is About
Hyperthermia means: tissue or the entire body is selectively heated, to 39 to 45 degrees. It is a physical procedure, so it uses heat rather than a medicinal substance.
There are three forms. In local hyperthermia, only one area is heated, for example a tumour. Regional hyperthermia affects an entire body region. In whole-body hyperthermia, the entire body is warmed. The heat is generated using special equipment, and sensors measure the temperature to prevent tissue damage.
Heat has been used in medicine since antiquity. The modern procedures were developed in the 20th century. Hyperthermia is mainly studied in cancer, usually in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. There are also investigations into chronic inflammation and pain.
An important process involved: cells produce protective substances when heated, which shield them from the heat. In cancer therapy, the heat is also intended to improve tissue blood flow so that radiotherapy or drugs work better.
2. What Studies Show
Hyperthermia in cancer is the best studied application.
For cervical cancer, a review summarises several studies 2. A total of 215 women who received heat plus radiotherapy were compared with 212 women who received radiotherapy alone. In the heat group, the tumour was no longer detectable more often afterwards, and the disease remained better controlled at the treated site. No additional side effects due to the heat were observed.
In high-risk sarcomas, i.e. malignant tumours in the abdominal cavity, a study examined 149 people after surgery 5. One group additionally received regional heat alongside chemotherapy. After five years, the disease had remained under control in the treated area more often in this group (56 % versus 45 %). This did not affect overall survival, and tolerability was similar in both groups.
For depression, a single whole-body heat treatment was tested 1. Thirty patients took part. Over six weeks, depressive symptoms were significantly reduced. The group was small, and whether the effect lasts longer was not investigated.
In the skin disease cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by parasites, a skin area was heated to 50 degrees 3. After two months, the cure rate was similar to that of an injection treatment against the pathogen. The heat treatment placed less strain on the whole body but caused local blistering and redness.
There is also an indication for circulatory disorders of the legs: in a study with 22 affected individuals, heat in a thermal bath improved walking distance 4.
3. What Remains Unclear
The studies are very heterogeneous in design. Sometimes only one area is heated, sometimes the whole body. Temperatures, duration and combinations with other treatments vary. This makes it difficult to compare the results directly.
Many studies include only small numbers of participants. For abdominal cancer treated with heated chemotherapy in the abdominal cavity, results are contradictory: some studies show a benefit, others do not.
Long-term data on side effects and quality of life are still pending. For applications outside cancer therapy, such as depression or menstrual pain, results are less consistent and there are as yet only a few high-quality studies. Which temperature, duration and frequency are most favourable also remains to be determined.
4. What This Means in Everyday Practice
Hyperthermia is not a treatment that can be applied at home. It is a procedure performed in hospitals and clinics, usually as an adjunct to existing treatment.
Anyone reading about hyperthermia will encounter very different statements. This is because the evidence base varies depending on the application: cancer has the most and most informative studies, while other conditions currently only have initial indications.
What was observed in a study does not mean it works the same way in everyone. The results apply to the group studied and the method used there.
Next, it needs to be clarified which form of heat works best for which condition and how patients fare in the long term. Studies addressing this are ongoing, with results still pending.
All details with study numbers and sources: detailed page on hyperthermia. For children: Hyperthermia for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hyperthermia the same as fever?
No. Fever arises in the body itself as a reaction to an infection. In hyperthermia, heat is applied externally and the temperature is continuously monitored.
Do patients have to endure pain during treatment?
The temperature is monitored using sensors to prevent tissue damage. In studies on skin treatment, local reactions such as redness and blisters were reported.
Does hyperthermia work on its own, without other treatments?
In cancer research, it is almost always studied in combination with radiation or chemotherapy. Whether heat alone has an effect cannot be determined from these studies, as there was usually no control group without heat.
Sources
- 1Janssen CW, Lowry CA, Mehl MR, Allen JJ, Kelly KL, Gartner DE et al. · 2016
- 2Datta NR, Rogers S, Klingbiel D, Gómez S, Puric E, Bodis S · 2016
- 3Aronson NE, Wortmann GW, Byrne WR, Howard RS, Bernstein WB, Marovich MA et al. · 2010
- 4Akerman AP, Thomas KN, van Rij AM, Body ED, Alfadhel M, Cotter JD · 2019
- 5Angele MK, Albertsmeier M, Prix NJ, Hohenberger P, Abdel-Rahman S, Dieterle N et al. · 2014
Every statement on this page carries its evidence tier — proven, plausible or hypothesis — and leads to the original work. The decision in the individual case rests with the practitioner; we provide the connections.