It was believed that since normal cells need oxygen to grow, cancer cells must also rely on oxygen. This belief led doctors to avoid using oxygen therapy for cancer patients out of concern that it might fuel tumor growth.
However, studies have since shown that this assumption was incorrect. It turns out that cancer cells often thrive in environments with low oxygen levels, a condition known as hypoxia. This lack of oxygen is common in cancer patients and is linked to the progression of the disease.
Newer research has shown that increasing the oxygen levels in the body, specifically through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), can actually slow down cancer growth. HBOT delivers oxygen at higher-than-normal levels, creating a less favorable environment for cancer cells.
A 2009 study by researchers at Oxford University found that injecting oxygen into tumors not only made them less aggressive but also made chemotherapy treatments more effective. This means that contrary to earlier belief, oxygen therapy might actually help in the fight against cancer rather than hinder it.
HBOT For Cancer Patients: Approaches for Specific Cancer Types
Growing evidence supports the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as a beneficial addition to traditional cancer treatments.
Traditionally, HBOT has been used alongside treatments like chemotherapy and radiation to help cancer patients. However, recent studies suggest that HBOT might have a more significant role in directly combating cancer.
2010 Study on Ovarian Tumors
A study published in Cancer Biology and Therapy in 2010 explored the impact of HBOT on ovarian tumors in mice. The mice were treated with HBOT daily for 21 days, which led to a significant reduction in tumor growth. When researchers added a chemotherapy agent to the HBOT treatment in another group of mice, the tumor volume decreased even more rapidly within just two weeks.
HBOT and Brain Cancer
Research over the last few years has also focused on the relationship between HBOT and brain cancers, particularly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a highly aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancer. A 2015 study published in Oncology Letters found that adding HBOT to the treatment regimen of GBM patients improved their prognosis, indicating that HBOT could be a valuable therapeutic option.
2018 Study on Head and Neck Cancer
Another study, published in April 2018, investigated the effects of combining HBOT with radiotherapy in patients with head or neck cancer. The study concluded that this combination significantly reduced mortality rates and lowered the chances of tumor recurrence.
Using HBOT to Address Cancer-Related Challenges
In addition to working alongside traditional treatments to battle cancer, HBOT, or hyperbaric oxygen, is also a treatment option for many cancer-treatment-associated conditions. Radiation and chemotherapy are hard on the body, and while they do work to kill cancer cells, they also create problems of their own. We closely address these conditions below.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can serve as a valuable complement to conventional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
These traditional therapies are crucial in the fight against cancer, targeting and destroying cancer cells. However, they often come with significant side effects that can negatively impact the patient's health.
HBOT offers a way to manage side effects by increasing the body’s healing capability through increased oxygen levels. This approach can help mitigate the damage caused by radiation and chemotherapy, making the treatment experience more manageable for patients.
In the following sections, a closer look will be provided on how HBOT specifically addresses these issues:
Fatigue
Fatigue is a prevalent issue for cancer patients, caused both by the cancer and by traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. This exhaustion can be overwhelming and affect daily life.
HBOT has successfully treated Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition characterized by extreme fatigue. Because of this, cancer patients often find that HBOT helps alleviate their debilitating fatigue, providing much-needed relief and improving their overall quality of life.
Anemia
Anemia, a condition where the body has a low count of red blood cells, is another common side effect of cancer and its treatments. Red blood cells are crucial because they carry oxygen throughout the body, and a low count can lead to severe fatigue and weakness.
HBOT can help by stimulating the bone marrow, the body’s red blood cell production center. This stimulation increases the production of red blood cells, which can help alleviate the symptoms of anemia and boost the patient’s energy levels.
Mucositis and Esophagitis
Mucositis refers to the painful inflammation and ulceration of the membranes lining the digestive tract, while esophagitis is the inflammation of the esophagus. These conditions are particularly challenging for cancer patients, often resulting from the combined use of chemotherapy and radiation.
They can cause significant discomfort and complications, including difficulty eating and increased infection susceptibility. HBOT can benefit these cases by reducing swelling, speeding up the healing process, and fighting bacterial infections such as pseudomonas, which are common in these conditions.
This makes HBOT a valuable therapy for managing these painful side effects and improving the patient’s comfort during treatment.
Chemo Brain
This term refers to cognitive impairments that can occur after cancer treatment, particularly with chemotherapy and radiation. Patients with chemobrain often experience memory problems, both short-term (like forgetting recent conversations) and long-term (like struggling to recall past events).
It can cause delayed reactions and other cognitive issues, such as difficulty concentrating, processing information, or making decisions. These symptoms can significantly impact daily life, making routine tasks challenging.
How HBOT Helps Manage Radiation Necrosis in Cancer Therapy
Radiation therapy is effective in targeting and destroying cancer cells, but it can also unintentionally damage healthy cells. This damage can lead to radiation necrosis, where the tissue and bones in the affected area begin to break down and die. The severity and type of necrosis depend on the location of the treatment.
If radiation is used to treat tumors in the pelvic or abdominal area, the damage can cause bleeding in specific organs. For example, radiation cystitis refers to bleeding from the bladder; radiation enteritis refers to bleeding from the small bowel, and radiation proctitis refers to bleeding from the rectum. These are all radiation necrosis specific to the pelvic and abdominal region.
When radiation is applied to tumors in the head, it can cause necrosis in the jaw, teeth, and throat. This can lead to severe complications, including difficulty eating, speaking, and maintaining oral health.
For tumors located in the breast, lung, or chest, radiation can cause necrosis of the soft tissues in the chest wall. This type of necrosis can result in a reduced range of motion, making it difficult to move the affected area. It can cause swelling of the lymph nodes, which can further impact the patient’s health and mobility.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been successfully used since the 1970s to treat radiation necrosis associated with cancer. By delivering 100 percent oxygen, HBOT provides a much higher oxygen concentration to the damaged tissue.
HBOT not only aids in repairing damaged tissue but also helps restore blood vessels affected by radiation.
Hyperbaric Therapy At Lakeshore Hyperbaric Center Chicago
Researchers are actively exploring the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for cancer patients, including those with mesothelioma, and the results so far are encouraging.
Beyond aiding in healing and alleviating side effects, HBOT has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
This therapy is relatively straightforward, carries minimal risks, and is generally well tolerated by most patients. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an initial consultation at Lakeshore Hyperbaric Center Chicago.
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