Early diagnosis and conventional treatments as well as prophylactic therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy now allow better survival odds and longer life expectancy for women with breast cancer.
Tumor does not like oxygen and its growth is slowed down in well oxygenated tissues. On the contrary, conventional cancer therapies such as radiation are only partly (about one third!) successful in poor oxygenated tissue. Therefore in rehabilitation after conventional surgical and radiation therapy a commonly used method to remedy hypoxic tissues has been hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT is also effective in healing the post radiation damage(wounds caused by radiation).
Approximately one-third of women who have had surgery (lumpectomy) and radiation treatment for breast cancer develop complications such as painful swelling of the arms and hands (lymphoedema) that can lead to disability.Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to restore tissue oxygen levels, reduce swelling, promoting the microcirculation (blood and lymphatic) and in turn improve healing of radiation wounds, control infection, reduce pain as well as boost the immune system and increase stem cells in circulation. The mobilization of stem cells by hyperbaric oxygen shows promising results for cancer patients. In 2005 dr. Stephen Thom showed that one 90 minute hyperbaric oxygen sessions in oxygen flow chambers doubles the number of stem cells in the blood and 20 sessions increase the number to eight fold.
First controlled clinical studies in Germany found that in 32 out of 44 women who received surgery and radiation for breast cancer with lymphoedemashowed improvement with HBOT. Significant reduction in pain and in average of 25% but as much as 40% of swelling can be reduced with timely hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Hyperbaric oxygen improves the success of radiation and chemotherapy as well as minimizes the complications. Research shows that people with tissue cells deprived of oxygen had worse survival and more metastases than those who had higher oxygen levels in their tumors.
Radiation Damage
Radiation injury is damage to soft tissue and bone following radiation therapy.
There are early and late effects of radiation that are caused by ischemia, interruption of the blood supply and direct cell damage, which are sensitive to radiation.
Late effects of radiation that occur weeks and years later can be avoided with timely hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Soft tissue radiation injury:
- Skin – skin damage (atrophy) and non-healing wounds
- Genitourinary problems – radiation cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), proctitis (inflamma-tion of the rectum and anus) resulting in fistulas, abscesses, fibrosis and scar formation
- Larynx – swelling, pain, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness
Bone radiation injury:
- Bone cell destruction (osteoradionecrosis) – leading to spontaneous fractures, infections and delayed healing
Eye radiation injury:
- Radiation-induced optic neuropathy – loss of vision
Clinical application of HBO
- Helps in faster wound healing by formation of new microvasculature (angiogenesis)
- Provides and prepares a better healthy tissue for skin grafts and dental implants if needed
- Improves bone remodeling by stimulation new bone to growth (osteogenesis)
- Prevents or arrests already existing infection
- Prophylaxis – prevention of development delayed radiation injury
Results of Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in radiation injury:
- HBO increases tissue radio-sensitivity (enhancing the effect of radiation/chemo therapy)
- HBO prevents delayed radiation injury (swelling, pain and wounds due to radiation)
- HBO enhances the immune system
- HBO promotes new vascular growth preparing conditions for skin/bone grafts and implants
- HBO improves bone remodeling by stimulation of new bone growth and removal of necrotic bone
- HBO prevents or arrests already existing infection
- Improves oxygenation of all body organs
Treatment protocol:
Hyperbaric oxygen sessions are 90 minutes long at 2.4 ATA of pressure of pure oxygen. Number of sessions needed depend on the seriousness of the condition and response to the therapy, which can be assessed with measurements of microcirculation. At BaroMedical, the screening of the clients and the progress of the therapy are monitored with most advanced equipment: Laser Doppler blood flow, tissue oxygen monitor and digital camera.
Breast Cancer References:
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