What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 10 patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for hemorrhagic cystitis following prostate cancer radiation therapy between 2006 and 2012.
What They Found
Ten patients, with a median age of 76 years, received a median of 30 HBO sessions. After a median follow-up of 35 months, 80% experienced complete resolution of hematuria, with no adverse effects documented. One patient had a single recurrence, and another required salvage cystectomy.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian men experiencing hemorrhagic cystitis after prostate cancer radiation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may offer an effective treatment option to resolve bleeding. This could improve quality of life by reducing a distressing long-term complication.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study's retrospective design and small sample size of only 10 patients limit the generalizability of its findings.