Contents


**Chapter 1** 

© 2013 Szasz et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2013 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

Hyperthermia means the overheating of the living object completely (systemic) or partly (regionally or locally). If overheating can be identical with higher temperature then a/the question arises: could overheating be identical with higher temperature or could "higher

Hyperthermia is one of the most common therapies in "house" applications. It is applied according to unwritten traditions in every culture and in every household. It can be applied simply to prevent the common cold but it is also good for its treatment moreover it is effective against various pains (joints, muscle-spasms, etc.), it can be applied for better overall conditions and simply for relaxation, or sometimes for spiritual reasons. The various heat therapies are commonly used complementary with natural drugs (teas, herbs, oils, aromas, etc.) or with natural radiations (sunshine, red-hot iron radiation, etc.) This popular medicine is sometimes connected with ritual, cultural and social events (ritual hot bath cultures), or

Hyperthermia has two certainly different fields in medicine: hyperthermia as a treatable

The source of whole body temperature increase as a disease can be internal, having fever by reaction to infections [1] or pyrogens [2] or malignant hyperthermia [3] as well. These whole-body "heating" processes differ also in their systemic reaction. The natural fever is induced by the living system [4], while the system works against the compulsory metabolic heating and tries to keep the temperature normal. Whole-body hyperthermia can be induced by external heating as well [5]. This happens in hot environments when the body is not able to cool itself down, although the system fights against the increase of its

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ancient healing methods (like special spa treatments, hot-spring natural drinks, etc.).

disease or as a therapeutic method for various diseases (see Figure 1.)

**Local Hyperthermia in Oncology –** 

**To Choose or not to Choose?** 

Andras Szasz, Nora Iluri and Oliver Szasz

**1.1. Historical way – To go or not to go?** 

temperature" be caused only by "overheating"?

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/52208

**1. Introduction** 

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

**Chapter 1** 
