Download Research reported at the 1999 European Society for Hyperthermic

For Immediate Release
The Society of Thermal Medicine Highlights Hyperthermia European Adjuvant Trial
(HEAT) on Pancreatic Cancer at its 19th Annual Conference
- The Society of Thermal Medicine (STM) highlighted initiation of an important Phase
III clinical study, hyperthermia in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer
patients, during its 29th Annual Conference, which was held recently in Portland, OR. The randomized,
multicenter, Phase III study, the Hyperthermia European Adjuvant Trial (HEAT), sponsored by the Munich
Groshadern University Medical School (UMS) and the European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, compares
hyperthermia with chemotherapy (gemcitabine plus cisplatin) to chemotherapy (gemcitabine) alone. Patients
are randomized following standard surgical resection of the tumor. The study is open for enrollment of 350
patients and has already enrolled the first three patients. Patient enrollment is expected to proceed quickly.
The principal investigators are Rolf D. Issels, MD PhD, and Katharina Lechner, MD, from the Munich
Grosshadern UMS, Munich, Germany.
Portland , OR April 14, 2012
The following clinical sites will initially participate in the clinical study: Munich Grosshadern UMS, Munich, Klinik
Bad Trissl, Oberaudorf, Red Cross Hospital, Munich, UMS Düsseldorf, UMS Erlangen and UMS Tübingen, all
Germany. These sites all utilize the BSD-2000 Hyperthermia System.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest and most difficult to treat cancers and is the fourth leading cause of
cancer-related death in the U.S. and throughout the world. There will be an estimated 44,000 Americans and
60,000 Europeans diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during 2012. The median survival is approximately 6
months for patients with metastatic disease and 10 months for patients with locally advanced disease. Median
survival after 5 years is <5 % of all patients. Advanced pancreatic cancer patients currently have few
treatment options.
About the Society for Thermal Medicine
The Society for Thermal Medicine (STM) was founded in 1986 as a professional society to significantly
improve treatment outcomes by advancing the science, development and application of thermal therapy. STM
is a premier, international scientific forum for fostering interaction and innovation in the study of biological,
physical and medical applications of thermal therapy for cancer and other diseases. STM promotes rapid
dissemination of exciting scientific breakthroughs in thermal medicine in order to expedite the translation of
both basic and applied research to the clinic for the immediate benefit of patients. STM also sponsors high
quality forums for education of medical professionals in the practice of thermal medicine.