What Researchers Did
Researchers prospectively investigated hyperbaric oxygen as a primary treatment for Grade IV radiation-induced haemorrhagic cystitis in 11 patients.
What They Found
All 11 patients completed therapy without complications, undergoing a mean of 32.8 sessions over a mean follow-up of 17.82 months. A complete and partial response rate of 81.8% and 18.2% was observed, respectively, with a 72.7% durable effect. Patients receiving therapy within 6 months of haematuria onset had significantly better complete responses (p = 0.018).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing severe radiation-induced haemorrhagic cystitis, hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a safe and effective primary treatment option. Early intervention after the onset of symptoms may lead to better outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A key limitation of this study is its small sample size of 11 patients, characteristic of a pilot-feasibility design.