[Morphohistochemical and electron microscopic characteristics of malignant tumors of the upper respiratory tract after combined local hyperthermia and radiotherapy].

The paper discusses morphohistochemical and electron microscopic characteristics of 15 primary tumors of the upper respiratory tract removed following preoperative irradiation in combination with local hyperthermia as a radio-modifying factor. Eighteen tumors removed after irradiation alone served as controls. Application of local microwave hyperthermia resulted in a higher degree of irreversible tumor cell dystrophia and damage. Hyperthermia--induced damage included disorders in ultrastructure of intracellular membranes and cell organelles mainly due to derangement of membrane--binding proteins, protein--lipid and nucleotide complexes. Thermoradiotherapy stimulated protective reaction of surrounding tissue which took the form of increase in fraction of leukocytes and macrophages with high acid phosphatase level in areas of tumor cell damage.