Data detailed in “Antiangiogenic metronomic chemotherapy and hyperthermia in the palliation of advanced cancer” have been presented. According to a study from Italy, “Among a large series of cancer patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and sessions of hyperthermia, particular attention was given to a specific group of patients with advanced cancer who refused standard, aggressive, treatment. In these cases, hyperthermia was associated to low-dose (metronomic) chemotherapy.”
“No toxicity was reported in any of our patients, while a marginal benefit in terms of tumor progression was observed. During therapy, we could detect a coagulative perturbation that deserves careful discussion,” wrote F. Franchi and colleagues, University of Rome, Department of Clinical Medicine.

The researchers concluded: “In our opinion, this experience should be matter of debate to conclude if current response criteria (WHO/UICC and RECIST) in treating cancer patients are really suitable tools to evaluate new, and non-aggressive anticancer strategies.”

Franchi and colleagues published their study in European Journal of Cancer Care (Antiangiogenic metronomic chemotherapy and hyperthermia in the palliation of advanced cancer. European Journal of Cancer Care, 2007;16(3):258-62).

For more information, contact F. Franchi, University of Roma La Sapienza, Dept. of Clinical Medicine, Italy.

Publisher contact information for the European Journal of Cancer Care is: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 9600 Garsington Rd., Oxford OX4 2DG, Oxon, England.