Background: Evaluation of the primary effects and acute adverse reactions of combined chemo-radiation and hyperthermia for patients with locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma.
Materials and methods: Eight patients with locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma underwent a combination of radiation therapy, continuous infusion of doxorubicin, and once weekly hyperthermia.
Results: Complete response was obtained in 2 patients and partial response in 3. Level 4 skin reaction was developed in 4 patients who had superficially located tumour. Treatment interruption more than three days was required in only one patient who developed level 4 pharyngitis. Five patients developed grade 3 leukopenia, 2 had grade 4 leukopenia requiring administration of haematopoietic growth factor. Two patients developed radiation pneumonitis which required steroid medication. No symptomatic cardiotoxicity was observed. There was no acute morbidity during the treatment.
Conclusions: The intensive combination therapy provided good local responses or at least palliation for most of the patients entered without increasing treatment morbidity.