Using healing fevers to fight cancer
One of our best treatments to fight and possibly eliminate cancer is Hyperthermia. The definition is the elevation of the body temperature. But we all know it simply as FEVER.
Fever is one of the body’s defense mechanisms, that is activated by external factors such as: infections, intoxications and internal factors such as: chronic diseases, like cancer. Fever has different symptoms, among them is hyperthermia. When these symptoms start to appear, our body knows that something is not right and there are two different scenarios:
- When our immune system is strong and healthy, it becomes hypersensitive and finds any cancer cells to be out of the ordinary and therefore kills them daily.
- There are times when our immune system doesn’t detect the cancer cells and the cancer spreads throughout the body.
The hyperthermia that we offer at the Institute is highly effective and we are the only provider that does systemic perfusion hyperthermia in Mexico
The Hyperthermia Cancer Procedure
For doctors, cancer is a possible combination of different diseases that are present in the body and together they form a tumor. The most important battle against cancer is fought at our cellular level, where the malignant cells are reproducing.
However, all cells have a weakness and in this case, cancer cells can’t withstand temperatures between 102-107 degrees Fahrenheit. At the institute, we can generate hyperthermia in the patient’s body in a controlled environment, monitoring their vital signals at every moment.
During hyperthermia, the cell membrane of the malignant cells is unstable and permeable, making it easy to penetrate the cell with a killing agent, to generate better effects and results. In addition, hyperthermia induces the malignant cell to release surface antigens important for immune recognition and activation.
Types of hyperthermia for cancer treatment
- Regional: refers to the increase of temperature to hyperthermic levels of a single zone or area.
- Systemic: whole-body hyperthermia, which refers to the increase in temperature to hyperthermic levels over the entire body.
Systemic Perfusion Hyperthermia Technique
Our medical staff will perform a specific evaluation to determine if this treatment is the best option for our patient. We determine if they are in optimal condition and if it is safe to perform. Our doctors have combined the principles used in cardiology and nephrology to build advanced hyperthermia equipment, used specifically for our hyperthermia cancer treatment.
The hyperthermia system of choice and its employment skills are of great importance. The system consists of a pump with a heater where the steady flow and temperature is determined by the physician but regulated by a computer, which leaves no room for human error.
The first step is to place a central two-sided catheter, which will allow us to obtain a high output and return flow. This catheter is placed in the left sub-clavian area and the catheter is connected to the hyperthermia system. Once the system is connected and programmed, blood is pumped through the hyperthermia system, which exits through the catheter to reach the heater and will gradually raise the temperature of the blood and later the whole body.
Hyperthermia and other treatments
Can you combine hyperthermia with other cancer treatments?
Yes, hyperthermia has proven to enhance the effect of chemotherapy or radiation, when combined with either of them. The positive results of randomized trials have established hyperthermia, in combination with chemotherapy, as a novel clinical modality for the treatment of cancer. Hyperthermia targets the action of chemotherapy within the tumor heated region without affecting systemic toxicity.
How long will my treatment be?
Studies show there are great benefits when patients have 2 to 4 hour-long sessions of constant and sustained hyperthermia.
What are the benefits of the Institute’s hyperthermia cancer treatment?
- Rapid induction of hyperthermic state. Our perfusion system takes approximately 20 to 25 minutes to reach the desired temperature.
- The patient is alert, avoiding the need for sedation due to heat intolerance and the prolonged time that it takes to carry out the therapy.
- The patient does not report any discomfort, allowing us to maintain therapeutic sessions for a much larger period, and hence, achieving in a single session, what would take us up to 8 sessions to achieve with other methods.
- It helps and improves muscle and bone pain; thanks to the immunomodulatory effect it brings.
- Physicians can control the patient’s core body temperature, something that cannot happen with other techniques.