title: Hyperthermia in eccentrically located pelvic tumors: excessive heating of the perineal fat and normal tissue temperatures.
abstract: Regional hyperthermia in deep-seated tumors can be limited by excessive heating of normal tissues, usually associated with pain or local discomfort. In this report, 57 hyperthermia treatments in 8 patients with locally advanced presacral recurrences of colorectal cancer were analyzed with respect to normal tissue temperatures, especially with respect to the perineal fat temperature. In 27 treatments, 1 to 2 catheters had been inserted from the perineal region through a large part of the perirectal and presacral fat into the tumor, so that temperature profiles of the perineal fat could be obtained. The mean maximum temperature (+/- SD) of the vagina, rectum, bladder, muscle tissue, and perineal fat was 40.8 +/- 1.2 degrees C, 40.9 +/- 1.6 degrees C, 40.5 +/- 1.6 degrees C, 39.8 +/- 0.7 degrees C, and 42.6 +/- 1.1 degrees C, respectively. The mean maximum systemic temperature (+/- SD) was 37.7 +/- 0.7 degrees C. In 42% of the treatments, the temperature in the perineal fat ranged between 43 and 46 degrees C and was treatment-limiting. In conclusion, overheating of the perineal fat is a problem in the treatment of eccentrically located tumors of the presacral region when relatively high temperatures in the tumor will be maintained for longer time periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, West German Tumor Centre, University Hospital, Essen.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molls
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer-Schwickerath
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sack
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001831:Body Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010502:Perineum; D012007:Rectum; D001743:Urinary Bladder