We all have experienced the effect of low body temperature like shivering initially and if not treated can lead to more serious medical state like hypothermia, which if ignored or not provided with necessary medical attention can be life threatening.
Recently, Elizabeth Repasky and his colleagues at Roswell Park Cancer Institute has found that the low body temperature may alter the way cancer cells multiply and disperse, at-least in the body of the mice. They found that cancer cell in mice multiply more rigorously in lower temperature (22 degree Celsius) than the ones living in comparably cozy temperature (30 degree Celsius). Even if the mice already had cancer, a exposure to low temperature accelerated the tumor cells growth. The cold temperature in mice promoted growth of cancer cells for skin, breast, pancreas and colon.
To fight these cancer cells, body immune system has T cell, which recognizes the amended protein produced from these cancer cells. Both the cancer cells and T cells tries to suppress each other. It was noticed that the cancer fighting T cell count were same in both the mice, but the T cell in mice living in warm temperature were more successful in their attempt to fight and suppress these tumor cells by producing more cancer fighting compounds. Whereas the tumors in mice living in colder temperature produces substance which repress the T cell ability to fight them, revealing that lower temperature alter the body immune system and the body start responding to tumor cells instead of fighting.
Under the experiment, it was observed that the healthy mice choose the room with 30 degree Celsius temperature when given an option from 22, 28, 30, 34 and 38. However, the mice with the tumor cell choose the extreme 38 degree Celsius. Similarly, humans suffering from cancer often seem to feel these chills after treatment. It can be therefore seems quite relevant that lower body temperature provides an ideal condition for tumor cells growth and advancement. Although, it is still not understood how cold could boost the cancer cells. However, such studies did make researchers realize the importance of warmer temperature in fighting the tumor.
Administering cancer therapies in warmer conditions like sauna or inducing temporary fever like condition in the body might give even better results. Similar tests have been successfully conducted for breast cancer, sarcoma and angiosarcoma showing that slight increase in body temperature may give better result in radiation therapy. Nevertheless researchers feel that more studies is yet to be conducted in order to gain better understating of role of high temperature in treating the tumor cell.