Fever and cancer in perspective

Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2001 Oct;50(8):391-6. doi: 10.1007/s002620100216.

Abstract

Context: A relationship between feverish infection and concurrent remission from cancer has been known about for a very long time. However, a systematic investigation of the phenomenon has not yet been made.

Objective: To bring together the isolated observations about the coincidence of spontaneous remissions with feverish infections and William Coley's seminal work, as a basis for devising an immunological hypothesis about the putative anti-cancer effect of fever.

Conclusion: Fever induction under medical guidance may be considered as part of a therapy regimen for cancers of mesodermal origin.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Bacterial Toxins / therapeutic use
  • Bacterial Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Erysipelas / complications
  • Female
  • Fever / etiology
  • Fever / physiopathology
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / immunology
  • Humans
  • Hyperthermia, Induced* / trends
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Immunotherapy / trends
  • Immunotherapy, Active / trends
  • Infections / complications*
  • Injections, Intralesional
  • Male
  • Mesoderm
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Remission Induction
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Sarcoma / complications
  • Sarcoma / therapy
  • Sex Factors
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / therapy
  • Streptococcal Infections / complications
  • Streptococcal Vaccines / therapeutic use
  • Streptococcus pyogenes
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / complications
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Urinary Tract Infections / complications

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Bacterial Vaccines
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Streptococcal Vaccines