Whole Body Hyperthermia: Biological and Clinical Aspects

1. 1 Background neoplastic diseases which are currently refractory to conventional therapy. All aspects of both preclinical Anticancer effects of elevated (noncauterizing) tem­ and clinical WBH, ranging from molecular biology perature were first observed in ancient Egyptian times and physiology to WBH methodologies and clinical (Oleson and Dewhirst 1983). Hippocrates trials, will be comprehensively reviewed. It is our in­ (460-377 B. C. ) later incorporated fever therapy into a tention to provide the reader with a definitive resource homeopathic approach to disease (Le. , treating a dis­ of to evaluate the current status and future potential ease with a symptom of that disease). In the fourth WBH. In so doing, we will attempt to present the vari­ century, Refus of Ephesus advocated the use of fever ous perspectives and insights derived from the efforts induction to treat malignant diseases (Kluger 1980). of investigators throughout the world. We hope this In the nineteenth century tumor regressions accompa­ will encourage an expanded investigative commitment nying high fevers were reported both by Busch and to this exciting and innovative approach to cancer Bruns (Busch 1866; Bruns 1888). At the end of the therapy.