title: Regional hyperthermia combined with chemoradiotherapy in primary or recurrent locally advanced pancreatic cancer : an open-label comparative cohort trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the therapeutic effect of delivering regional hyperthermia (HT) plus chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients suffering from locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2000 and December 2008, 68 patients affected by primary (56/68) or recurrent (12/68) LAPC were treated either with CRT alone or CRT plus HT. Radiotherapy (RT) consisted of 3D conformal irradiation of tumor and regional lymph nodes (dose ranged from 30 Gy/10 fractions to 66 Gy/33 fractions). Chemotherapy (CT) consisted of gemcitabine (GEM) alone or in association with either oxaliplatin, cisplatin, or 5-FU. HT was delivered twice a week, concomitant with RT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the current study, 60 of the original 68 patients were included. Median overall survival (OS) was 15 months in the HT group versus 11 months in the control group (log-rank test: p = 0.025). HT did not increase CRT toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HT can be added safely to CRT in LAPC, thus, resulting in slightly prolonged survival in certain cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maluta
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pioli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dall'oglio
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasetto
authors.forename: Pamela M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schaffer
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Giri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods; D013821:Thermometers