Tumor Eradication by Radiofrequency Therapy

Abstract

Tumor blood flow, measured by an isotope dilution technique, is only 2% to 15% that of the surrounding tissue. This sluggish circulation difdifferententiatesm normal tissue and forms the basis for a new therapy that entails the transfer of radiofrequency (RF) energy for heating tissueng oissues cally.eated tissue is cooled by the circulation of blood, which carries away the heat. Impaired perfusion, as in cancers, impedes cooling. Heating by RF elevated the temperatures of animal and human cancers by 5to 9.5 C above that of healthy tissue. The heat eradicated the animal cancers without destruction of normal tissue. Radiofrequency therapy produced y produced crosisbstantial regression of cancer in 21 patients. (JAMA235:2198-2200, 1976)