Studies on the combination therapy of radiofrequency capacitive heating and interstitial heating for malignant brain tumor.

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To faciliate the effects of radiofrequency (RF) capacitive heating on malignant brain tumor, a new interstitial heating system was developed and the significance and the possibility of the combination therapy of hyperthermia using RF capacitive and interstitial heating was evaluated.For interstitial heating, we chose RF instead of microwave, for the reason that microwave could not penetrate into the deep region beyond 10 mm in our phantom study and that the minimal diameter of the microwave applicator was 3 mm and too big to be inserted into the brain. We designed various types of needle type RF applicators. The multible needle applicators made of flexible wire made it possible to heat accurately and safely the optional and well-localized areas of the brain.For further evaluation of the RF capacitive heating system which we had already developed, we proceeded to the clinical application of this system. Fifteen patients with glioblastoma were treated by extracranial heating method safely. However, the deep region of the brain was heated insufficiently and remained 40 - 42゜C.There is no technical problem in the clinical application of our newly developed interstitial heating system and this new system could cover the weak points of the RF capacitive heating system.