Overview

• High cholesterol in cancer cell membranes suppresses heat-induced membrane fluidity and protects tumors from hyperthermia-triggered necrosis
• Cholesterol-depleting drugs rendered previously heat-resistant cancer cells vulnerable to 50 °C heat in multiple human and mouse cell lines
• In vivo studies showed combined cholesterol depletion and localized hyperthermia caused dramatic tumor shrinkage compared with heat treatment alone
• Measuring tumor cholesterol content may serve as a biomarker to predict which patients will benefit most from hyperthermia therapy
• Integrating cholesterol-targeting agents with hyperthermia holds promise to amplify anti-tumor immunity and improve overall treatment outcomes