HYPERBOOST · Project

Smart Treatment Planning Software That Makes Cancer Radiotherapy More Effective with Heat

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Heating a tumor to about 40-44°C while giving radiation therapy makes the radiation work much better — like softening metal before bending it. The problem is, doctors don't have good tools to plan exactly how much heat to apply, when, and where. HYPERBOOST brought together 11 teams across 6 countries to build a planning platform that figures out the best heat-plus-radiation recipe for each individual patient. They also trained 15 specialists who now understand both the biology and the physics behind why this combination works.

By the numbers

40-44°C

Tumor heating temperature range for hyperthermia treatment

Research and industry partners in the consortium

Countries represented in the consortium

Trained professionals in oncology, physics and biology

Total project deliverables produced

Demo deliverables on imaging monitoring techniques

The business problem

What needed solving

Cancer treatment centres using hyperthermia alongside radiotherapy lack precise tools to plan the optimal temperature, timing, and sequencing of combined treatments for each patient. This means treatments are delivered sub-optimally, reducing their effectiveness. Clinicians need patient-specific planning software that accounts for the complex biology of how heat enhances radiation damage to tumors.

The solution

What was built

The project built a treatment planning platform for optimizing combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia delivery, along with imaging techniques to monitor therapy effects in real time. It also produced 31 deliverables and trained 15 specialists across biology, physics, and oncology.

Audience

Who needs this

Radiotherapy treatment planning software companiesClinical hyperthermia device manufacturersUniversity hospital oncology departments offering hyperthermiaCancer treatment centres expanding beyond standard radiotherapyMedical imaging companies serving oncology markets

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device and treatment planning software

mid-size

Target: Companies that develop radiotherapy planning systems or oncology software platforms

If you are a radiotherapy software company struggling to differentiate your planning tools in a competitive market — this project developed a treatment planning platform that combines hyperthermia delivery optimization with radiotherapy. It uses patient-specific biological data to calculate optimal temperature, timing, and sequencing for combined treatments, validated across a network of European clinical centres.

Clinical hyperthermia equipment manufacturing

SME

Target: Manufacturers of clinical hyperthermia devices and applicators

If you are a hyperthermia device manufacturer looking to increase clinical adoption of your equipment — this project created imaging techniques to monitor the real-time effect of combined radiotherapy and hyperthermia therapy. Better treatment planning and monitoring tools make your devices more attractive to hospitals by demonstrating measurable patient outcomes.

Hospital oncology departments and cancer treatment centres

enterprise

Target: University hospitals and cancer centres offering or considering hyperthermia treatment

If you are a hospital oncology department wanting to offer personalized cancer treatment beyond standard radiotherapy — this project built software that plans optimal combined heat-and-radiation treatments tailored to each patient. It was designed for clinical use across European centres treating conditions like cervical cancer and recurrent breast cancer.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this treatment planning system?

The project data does not include pricing or licensing costs. As an MSCA training network with 11 partners across 6 countries, the software platform was developed in an academic setting. Commercial licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator at Amsterdam UMC.

Can this scale to industrial or widespread clinical use?

The project was designed with clinical deployment in mind — the objective explicitly mentions a clinical registration study across a network of European centres. However, as a training-focused project (MSCA-ITN), the primary output is knowledge and trained professionals rather than a market-ready product. Scaling would require further commercial development.

What is the IP situation and how can we license this?

IP rights are likely held by the 11-partner consortium, with the coordinator STICHTING AMSTERDAM UMC in the Netherlands as the lead. The 2 industry partners in the consortium may already have licensing arrangements. Any licensing inquiry should go through Amsterdam UMC.

What clinical evidence supports this technology?

The objective references existing randomized clinical studies demonstrating the effectiveness of hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy for cervical cancer and recurrent breast cancer. The project itself produced 31 deliverables including imaging techniques to monitor treatment effects, adding to this evidence base.

How does this integrate with existing radiotherapy equipment?

The planning platform was designed to work alongside existing radiotherapy and hyperthermia delivery systems, optimizing timing, sequencing, and temperature control. The 2 demo deliverables focused on imaging techniques to monitor combined therapy effects, suggesting compatibility with current clinical imaging infrastructure.

Is there ongoing support or further development planned?

The project closed in November 2024 after a 4-year run. However, 15 trained professionals emerged from the program and remain active in the field. Based on available project data, continuation or commercial spin-off plans are not specified.

Consortium

Who built it

The HYPERBOOST consortium brings together 11 partners from 6 countries (CH, DE, DK, IT, NL, SE), with a strong academic core of 7 universities and 2 research organizations. The 2 industry partners (18% industry ratio) and 2 SMEs signal that commercial interest exists but this is primarily a research and training endeavour. The coordinator, Amsterdam UMC, is a leading European university medical centre with established hyperthermia expertise. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the low industry ratio means you would likely be among the first commercial adopters — which is both a risk and an opportunity to shape the product to your needs.

STICHTING AMSTERDAM UMCCoordinator · NL
AARHUS UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
MAX DELBRUECK CENTRUM FUER MOLEKULARE MEDIZIN IN DER HELMHOLTZ-GEMEINSCHAFT (MDC)participant · DE
CHARITE - UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN BERLINparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITAT ZURICHparticipant · CH
ERASMUS UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM ROTTERDAMparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITATSKLINIKUM ERLANGENparticipant · DE
ZURCHER HOCHSCHULE FUR ANGEWANDTE WISSENSCHAFTENparticipant · CH
CHALMERS TEKNISKA HOGSKOLA ABparticipant · SE

How to reach the team

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

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