What Researchers Did
Researchers surveyed 47 patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation reactions in the pelvic area in 1997, 3-15 months post-treatment.
What They Found
Of the 81% of patients who responded, 61% reported much improved rectal bleeding and 55% reported much improved haematuria. Additionally, 46% of patients experienced much improved bladder incontinence following hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing symptomatic radiation reactions in the urinary bladder or bowel, especially when conventional treatments have failed, might consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an alternative. This treatment could potentially offer relief from debilitating symptoms like rectal bleeding, haematuria, and bladder incontinence.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in Norway and has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its reliance on self-reported outcomes from a relatively small, non-randomised patient cohort without a control group.