Clinical results from the use of hyperthermia to treat cervical cancer presented at ESHO meeting

BSD Medical Corporation (NASDAQ: BSDM) today reported significant clinical results from the use of hyperthermia to treat cervical cancer. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology (ESHO), which was held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, on May 19 to 21, 2010.

“Available data do suggest that the addition of hyperthermia improves local tumour control and overall survival in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma without affecting treatment related grade 3 to 4 acute or late toxicity.”

Dr. L. Lutgens, Maastricht University Medical School, The Netherlands, presented the results of a Cochrane Review, "Combined use of hyperthermia and radiation therapy for treating locally advanced cervical carcinoma (Review)." The researchers concluded that "Available data do suggest that the addition of hyperthermia improves local tumour control and overall survival in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma without affecting treatment related grade 3 to 4 acute or late toxicity."

The Cochrane Review analyzed six randomized controlled studies on the combined use of regional hyperthermia (RHT) and radiation therapy for treating locally advanced cervical carcinoma. The data demonstrated that "Using overall survival at three years as endpoint in the pooled data analysis including 264 study patients yielded a significantly better survival for the combined treatment group (RHT) (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.99; p = 0.05)." The data also showed a significant reduction in local recurrence of disease at three years. There was no difference in either short-term or long-term toxicity from the addition of hyperthermia to radiation therapy.

Dr. A. Westermann, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, further reported long-term results from a clinical study on the use of radiation therapy, chemotherapy (cisplatin) and hyperthermia to treat patients with advanced cervical cancer. The presentation, "Long-term follow-up of a Phase II feasibility study of regional hyperthermia added to chemoradiotherapy in advanced cervical cancer," reported data for 36 patients who had a median follow-up of 62 months (range 6-97 months). The five-year disease-free survival rate was 66% (95% CI: 52-84), and the overall survival rate was 74% (95% CI: 60-90). A Phase III study has been initiated.