Progress on clinical research of hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy

Hyperthermia has been a research hot spot since it was approved by FDA as one of the 5 major therapeutic modalities for tumor since 1989. Pre-clinicaland clinical researches have confirmed the prominent radiosensitizing effect of hyperthermia. In this article, the research progress on hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy was summarized based upon clinical evidence. The challenges and issues during the procedure of hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy were analyzed from the perspectives of treatment temperature, frequency and interval time of hyperthermia, interval time and time sequence between hyperthermia and radiation therapy, etc. Besides, the application progress and prospect of hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy were reviewed, aiming to provide clinical evidence for the combination of hyperthermia and radiation therapy. Key words: Neoplasm/radiotherapy; Neoplasm/hyperthermia; Neoplasm/hyperthermia combined with radiation therapy; Research progress