Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Breast Cancer
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has many benefits in tissue healing. HBOT increases the amount of oxygen saturated in plasma regardless of red blood cell saturation percentage. The pressure assists in driving the oxygen through all tissue and especially where circulation may be compromised due to trauma or injury. Since oxygen provides energy, the cells can start repairing and rebuilding. The pressure also helps to close surgical wounds which can help reduce infection and scarring. Treatments such as mastectomy, tumor removal, and radiation therapy can cause damage to normal tissue and may lead to infection, burns, inflammation, and swelling or lymphedema. Multiple human studies have found benefit in the U.S. of HBOT for post surgical healing, radiation induced tissue damage, and radiation induced lymphedema.
One study looked at oxygen perfusion in tissue after mastectomy and found that oxygenation to at-risk areas were increased by 88% with HBOT. Another study looked at nipple ischemia after nipple sparing mastectomy and though the authors did not conclude statistically significant results, they did find that the average time to complete tissue healing was 36 days in HBOT group compared to 65 days in the non HBOT group.
Benefits of HBOT therapy have also been found with radiation induced tissue damage and lymphedema. A study in the Netherlands that included 57 women with late radiation-induced tissue toxicity found that symptoms were improved on average by 50% after about 40 sessions at 2.4 atmospheric pressures. Some of the symptoms assessed included pain in arm and shoulder, swelling in hand, pain and swelling in affected breast, and skin problems of the affected area. Side effects from therapy were found to be minimal and reversible.
A study done on triple negative and triple positive breast cancer cells concluded that HBOT was effective at suppressing tumor growth and reduced metastasis in triple negative breast cancer cells.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy historically has only been available in the hospital setting for a limited number of medical conditions. Recently HBOT therapy has become more available outside of the hospital environment in private medical practices, such as the Stram Center.
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been under utilized as a treatment due to availability, but has been shown to have substantial healing benefits. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered along with conventional and complimentary therapies.
References used:
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for late radiation-induced tissue toxicity: prospectively patient-reported outcome measures in breast cancer patients
David N Teguh 1 2 , René Bol Raap 3 , Henk Struikmans 4 5 , Cees Verhoef 6 , Linetta B Koppert 6 , Arne Koole 3 , Yadi Huang 7 , Rob A van Hulst 3
2017 Aug 23;12(8):e0183254. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183254. eCollection 2017.
Oxygen-dependent regulation of tumor growth and metastasis in human breast cancer xenografts
Kristine Yttersian Sletta 1 , Maria K Tveitarås 1 2 3 , Ning Lu 1 , Agnete S T Engelsen 1 2 , Rolf K Reed 1 2 , Annette Garmann-Johnsen 1 , Linda Stuhr 1
Use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for tissue ischemia after breast reconstruction
Neha Rajpal 1 , Elliot T Walters 2 , Tammer Elmarsafi 2 , Troy A Pittman 3 , Kelly K Johnson-Arbor 2
2001 Mar 15;49(4):1029-31. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(00)01515-7.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for late sequelae in women receiving radiation after breast-conserving surgery
U M Carl 1 , J J Feldmeier, G Schmitt, K A Hartmann
John Shuck1, Neil O’Kelly1, Matthew Endara2, Maurice Y. Nahabedian1
1Department of Plastic Surgery, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA; 2Alan Chen Surgical Associates, Chicago, IL, USA
Hyperbaric Physiological And Pharmacological Effects of Gases
Adam C. Kahle; Jeffrey S. Cooper.
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