Thermal Environmental Effect on Breast Tumor Growth

Tissue hypoxia is a common and important feature of rapidly growing malignant tumors and their metastases. Tumor cells mainly depend on energy production thru anaerobic glycolysis rather than aerobic oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria [1]. Intervening the tumor metabolic process via thermal energy infusion is worthy attempting. And hyperthermia, mildly elevated local temperature above the body temperature, is one of such kind. Previously, after being heated for a short period of time, tumor glucose and lactate level increased and ATP level decreased, which suggested energy metabolism was modified following hyperthermia through increased ATP hydrolysis, intensified glycolysis and impaired oxidative phosphorylation [2]. Many researchers designed experiments to determine thermal dose in hyperthermia [3], but few focused on the relationship between tumor and energy, especially for a long-term local hyperthermia treatment. One clinical trial indicated the effective long-term hyperthermo-therapy for maintaining performance status, symptomatic improvement, and prolongation of survival time in patients with peritoneal dissemination [4].