What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in 13 women with persistent pelvic radiation-induced toxicity between 2001 and 2005.
What They Found
The mean National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grading score significantly improved from 3.3 before HBOT to 0.3 after a median of 27 sessions (P=0.001). Rectal bleeding ceased in 5 of 6 patients with proctitis, dysuria resolved in 6 of 7 cystitis patients, and macroscopic hematuria stopped in all 7 patients. No HBOT-associated side effects were reported.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing persistent side effects like proctitis, cystitis, or skin injuries after pelvic radiation may find hyperbaric oxygen therapy to be a safe and effective treatment option. This therapy could potentially alleviate symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted outside of Canada.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size of only 13 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.