The application of thermal dose in clinical trials

Abstract

When large human tumours are heated, spatial temperature (T) variation is high and poorly predictable with current hyperthermia technology. Invasive thermometry is thus necessary to document efficacy, and thermal mapping or multisensor thermometry can increase the yield of information without increasing the extent of invasiveness. The amount of temperature, time and spatial (T, t, x) data generated in a typical treatment is overwhelming, but can be made comprehensible by the application of thermal dose (TD) analysis. The isoeffective basis of the analysis reviewed here is likely to be modified as more biophysical information becomes available but, at present, serves the purpose of data condensation and treatment comparison. Real-time TD analysis may help to assure treatment reproducibility and may assist in discerning thermal dose-response relationships in prospective clinical trials.