What Researchers Did
Korean researchers ran a small randomized controlled trial with 30 breast cancer patients to test whether HBOT (100% oxygen at 1.5 ATA for 30 minutes, three times per week for 7 weeks) could reduce radiation-caused skin damage during adjuvant radiotherapy.
What They Found
Severe skin reactions (Grade 2 or higher) occurred in 73.3% of both the HBOT and control groups — no statistically significant difference. However, HBOT was well tolerated with no serious side effects, and there were non-significant trends toward less skin discomfort and better quality of life in the HBOT group.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Thousands of Canadian breast cancer patients receive radiation each year, and skin reactions are a common side effect. This small pilot trial could not confirm that HBOT prevents radiation dermatitis, but it confirmed safety, suggesting larger trials at higher pressures are worth pursuing.
Canadian Relevance
Delayed radiation injury is an OHIP-covered indication for HBOT in Ontario, though this study focused on acute radiation dermatitis during treatment rather than delayed effects.
Study Limitations
The study enrolled only 25 patients who completed the protocol, and the HBOT pressure used (1.5 ATA) was lower than the standard 2.0–2.4 ATA used in most hyperbaric centres, which may have reduced the treatment's effectiveness.