The Response of Mouse Skin to Combined Hyperthermia and X-rays

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Abstract
The effects of combined hyperthermia and X-irradiation were studied in the skin of the mouse ear. Ears were heated for 1 hour by immersion in a water-bath at temperatures ranging from 37°–43°C. These heat treatments had little visible effect alone, but when combined with X-rays, enhanced the radiation response. Enhancement depended on the degree of heating. When heat was given immediately after X-rays, the radiation dose to cause a given skin reaction had to be reduced by about 10 per cent for 37°C and about 40 per cent for 43°C. The timing and sequence of the two treatments were important. Heat after X-rays was less effective than heat before X-rays. When heat followed X-rays, the enhancing effect was lost completely if the interval exceeded 4 hours. When heat preceded X-rays, the effect was lost more slowly, depending on temperature. The implications of this for the treatment of cancer by combined therapy are discussed.