What Researchers Did
Researchers measured skin elasticity, using skin retraction time, in 13 irradiated breast cancer patients before and after hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) to quantify its effects on late radiation-induced tissue fibrosis.
What They Found
The mean irradiated skin retraction time significantly improved from 417 msec pre-HBOT to 171 msec post-HBOT (P < 001). Conversely, the mean pre-HBOT retraction time in non-irradiated skin was 143 msec and did not change after treatment. This pilot study suggests HBOT may improve skin elasticity in patients with late radiation-induced tissue fibrosis.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing late radiation-induced tissue fibrosis after breast cancer treatment might find hyperbaric oxygen therapy beneficial for improving skin elasticity. This could potentially help manage some of the long-term skin changes and discomfort following radiation.
Canadian Relevance
This study does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
This was a pilot study with a small sample size of only 13 patients, limiting the generalizability of the findings.