<unk>  can kill cells directly, but its more important use is in combination with other treatments for cancer.<unk>  increases blood flow to the warmed area, perhaps doubling perfusion in tumors, while increasing perfusion in normal tissue by ten times or even more. This enhances the delivery of medications.<unk>  also increases oxygen delivery to the area, which may make radiation more likely to damage and kill cells, as well as preventing cells from repairing the damage induced during the radiation session. Cancerous cells are not inherently more susceptible to the effects of heat. When compared in in vitro studies, normal cells and cancer cells show the same responses to heat. However, the vascular disorganization of a solid tumor results in an unfavorable microenvironment inside tumors. Consequently, the tumor cells are already stressed by low oxygen, higher than normal acid concentrations, and insufficient nutrients, and are thus significantly less able to tolerate the added stress of heat than a healthy cell in normal tissue. Mild<unk> , which provides temperatures equal to that of a naturally high fever, may stimulate natural immunological attacks against the tumor. However it is also induces a natural physiological response called thermotolerance, which tends to protect the treated tumor. Moderate<unk> , which heats cells in the range of , damages cells directly, in addition to making the cells radiosensitive and increasing the pore size to improve delivery of large-molecule chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents (molecular weight greater than 1,000 Daltons), such as monoclonal antibodies and liposome-encapsulated drugs. Cellular uptake of certain small molecule drugs is also increased. Very high temperatures, above , are used for ablation (direct destruction) of some tumors. This generally involves inserting a metal tube directly into the tumor, and heating the tip until the tissue next to the tube has been killed.
Hyperthermia therapy
Infusion therapy
Peritoneovenous shunt
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
Minimized extracorporeal circulation
Portosystemic shunt
Cerebral shunt
Vagotomy