Hyperthermia cancer treatment, or Hyperthermia Radiation Therapy, as it is more commonly known, works on the principle that tumorous and cancerous cells in the human body react in a different way than healthy cells do. Cancerous cells can be treated with a heat source that does not affect healthy cells in the same manner.

During the treatment procedure, the cancerous regions of the body tissue are subjected to a controlled high heat temperature that immediately kills the cancer while not affecting the healthy tissue or healthy cells in any negative way. This, in turn, will cause the tumor to lessen in size, allowing other forms of cancer treatment to then be used on the patient to increase the efficiency of both treatments, usually in patients with returning cancer or advanced-stage cancer.

There are currently two types of Hyperthermia Radiation Therapy. Local hyperthermia, which only gives heat to the areas with the cancerous cells. This is done with a number of different techniques and tools that produce microwaves, ultrasound, and Radio-frequency heat depending on where the malignant cells are located.

The second form is Regional or Whole Body Hyperthermia, where heat is applied to larger areas affected by the cancerous cells, such as limbs, body cavities, and also soft tissue organs. It works in tandem with other cancer treatments to raise the percentage of efficiency.

Both of the treatments discussed do have potential side effects, such as, but not limited to, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and possible minor problems in the heart and surrounding blood vessels.