What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing hypofractionated radiation therapy with or without hyperbaric oxygen at 4 atmospheres pressure in 48 patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
What They Found
Among 48 patients, acute toxicities were acceptable with no significant differences between the two treatment arms. However, a trend toward excess severe late complications was noted in the hyperbaric arm (12 patients) compared to the air arm (7 patients).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with head and neck cancer are unlikely to receive this specific hyperbaric oxygen regimen, as the study's findings suggest potential increased late complications. Modern radiation therapy protocols have significantly advanced since this trial was conducted in the 1970s.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
Limitations include the small sample size of 48 patients and the fact that the study was conducted between 1974 and 1975, making its findings potentially outdated for current clinical practice.