Oncothermia Method
Oncothermia, i. e. modulated-electro-hyperthermia for oncological use, is a fast developing supportive, complementary treatment method. The principles are based on the classical method of Hyperthermia, but in contrast to the homogeneous heating of classical hyperthermia, oncothermia (modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT®)) heats the malignant cells selectively, concentrating the energy in the tumor where it is used to induce the self-destruction of the malignant cells.
Oncothermia’s effect is synergistic with radiotherapy and numerous chemotherapy drugs.
Complementary treatment method to treat malignant tumors
Non-invasive personalized therapy
Therapy with minimal side effects
Improving quality of life and increasing cancer patient’s survival time
How does mEHT® work?
Oncothermia is based on the principle of energy absorbtion with an electric field. A capacitive arrangement of two electrodes and the amplifier generate a modulated electromagnetic field with a carrier frequency of 13.56 MHz. Since malignant tissue has higher conductivity than the healthy host’s tissue, the electric field tends to concentrate predominantly in the malignant lesion. The combination of the deep heating - by the radiofrequency passing through the body, and with the focused electric field, - could stimulate the immune system, trigger tumorspecific immune reactions all over the body, and cause the programmed cell-death (apoptosis) of the selected malignant-cells.
In contrast to the homogeneous heating of classical hyperthermia, oncothermia (modulated electro-hyperthermia (mEHT®)) heats the malignant cells selectively, concentrating the energy, in the tumor where it is used to induce the self-destruction of the malignant cells, and avoiding burns in the health host tissues. While classic hyperthermia works isothermally, with the goal of homogeneous heating of the tumor mass, oncothermia achieves a more significant effect on a cellular level, selecting and heating the malignant cells. In oncothermia, the energy absorption follows the high-level heterogeneities of the tumor. The clusters of transmembrane proteins (rafts) which absorb energy reach the effect of temperatures equivalent to 42 and 45°C. The applied modulated, non-ionizing radiation focuses on the immunogenic killing of tumor-cells, allowing for a systemic (abscopal) effect in the entire body (clinical publication: Minnaar,C.A.; Maposa,I.; Kotzen,J.A.; Baeyens, A.Effects of Modulated Electro-Hyperthermia (mEHT) on Two and Three Year Survival of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients., Cancers 2022,14,656. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14030656) .
This special ability of oncothermia could have a dual action: To kill the primary tumor (GBM) and, with the help of the tumor-specific immune actions, to fight against metastases in the entire body.
Clinical knowledge
Clinical publications
Browse our publications by specific author, indication, number of patients participating in the study and applied therapy.
EXPERIMENTAL PUBLICATIONS
In our experimental oncothermia publication collection, we present our current results with our publications, from laboratory to clinical applications.
Onocthermia journal
In our publication, published three times a year, you can read about the research results and practical experiences of doctors and researchers in the field of Oncothermia.
Our mission
The number of cancer cases is growing worldwide; thus patients and physicians both increasingly require procedures to promote conventional cancer treatments. Oncothermia (modulated electro-hyperthermia) is an effective complementary treatment to conventional cancer therapies (chemo- and radiotherapy). The process, which has only minimal adverse effects, is recognised and used more and more widely.
Our mission is to increase the survival time of cancer patients, to improve their quality of life causing the fewest possible suffer and side-effects.
Our intention is to produce high quality level medical devices to meet the state-of-the-art of oncology and tumor-therapies. Our goal is to make Oncothermia accepted among medical professions. We want to be a developer and manufacturer of our medical devices producing excellent quality and to reach a position of a globally accepted and widely used method.
The operational principle and the technical standard of the products secure a leading role for Oncotherm Group on the market of hyperthermia devices.
The mission of the company was determined at its foundation in 1988 by the founder and inventor, Prof. Dr. András Szász. Our definitive aim is to help the suffering patients with effective therapy and to avoid side effects. Ongoing research and development under the supervision of Professor Szász guarantee that our medical equipment is constructed and manufactured according to the latest medical and technical standards.
Oncothermia has become one of the leading Hyperthermia-therapies in Europe. More then 400.000 Oncothermia treatments are performed every year. The therapy is used for patients with different tumour diseases.
The most important point in the company’s philosophy is the well-being of the patient, close to the Hippocratic principle: “Nil Nocere” (no harm). When developing the devices we take the highest care in minimizing risks and using advantages because the treatment should be both effective and comfortable for the patient. The company and its method cannot promise any miracles, but we aim to use of the latest technical and scientific standards.
Oncotherm’s ISO:13485 certification – certified by TÜV SÜD Product Service GmbH - and the obtained CE mark of the EHY-2030 device also demonstrates our commitment to maintain high-quality standards in the medical device industry.
