Whole Body Hyperthermia: Biological and Clinical Aspects

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Background.- 1.2 Systemic versus Local and Regional Hyperthermia.- 1.3 Conceptual Approaches to the Therapeutic Use of WBH.- 1.4 Summary.- 2 Hyperthermia and the Immune System.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 In Vitro Studies of Hyperthermia and Immune Effector Cells.- 2.3 In Vivo Studies: The Abscopal Response and Metastasis.- 2.4 Clinical Hyperthermia and the Abscopal Response.- 2.5 Clinical WBH and the Immune Response.- 2.6 Conclusions.- 3 WBH and Ionizing Irradiation.- 3.1 Background.- 3.2 Potential Advantages of WBH Compared to Local Hyperthermia.- 3.3 The Importance of Treatment Temperatures Used in Preclinical Studies.- 3.4 Possibly Controllable Clinical Treatment Variables.- 3.5 Clinical Investigations Combining WBH and Ionizing Irradiation.- 3.6 Summary.- 4 WBH and Chemotherapy.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Potential Mechanisms of Thermal Chemosensitization.- 4.3 Factors Which May Modify Thermal Chemosensitization.- 4.4 Therapeutic Index.- 4.5 Probable Thermal Sensitizing Agents.- 4.6 Future Directions for Preclinical Research.- 4.7 Clinical WBH Studies.- 5 Clinical and Biophysical Aspects of Systemic Hyperthermia.- 5.1 Thermal Regulation and WBH Methodologies.- 5.2 Monitoring Body Site Temperature During WBH.- 5.3 Cardiorespiratory Effects of WBH.- 5.4 Biochemical Effects of WBH.- 5.5 Hematological Changes.- 5.6 Neurological Sequelae.- 5.7 Endocrine Function and WBH.- 5.8 Gastrointestinal Toxicity.- 5.9 Miscellaneous Toxicities.- 6 WBH Animal Studies.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Large Animals.- 6.3 Murine Models.- 6.4 Special Considerations.- 7 Special Considerations for the Future.- 7.1 Nononcological Considerations.- 7.2 Implications of WBH Research for General Medical Practice.- 7.3 Systemic Hyperthermia: Summary Reflections Regarding Neoplastic Disease.- References.