Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy + its use in Cancer Treatment

Cancer Resources
Written By Jordan Buck


What is HBOT?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment in which a person breathes in pure oxygen in a pressurized room or chamber. This increases the amount of oxygen your blood can carry, which can promote healing and improve various bodily functions. The treatment is usually done in a special chamber where the atmospheric pressure is significantly higher than normal. Typically, during HBOT, the pressure is 1.5 to 3 times greater than normal atmospheric pressure, allowing the lungs to absorb more oxygen.

 

How HBOT Works

Under normal circumstances, when you breathe in air, your lungs absorb oxygen and send it into your bloodstream, where it is then delivered to tissues throughout your body. However, in a hyperbaric chamber, the increased atmospheric pressure allows oxygen to dissolve more readily in the blood, plasma, and tissues. As a result, more oxygen is delivered to areas of the body that need it, even if blood flow is restricted or damaged.


How HBOT is Delivered

HBOT can be administered in two main ways:

  1. Monoplace Chambers: These chambers are designed for one patient at a time and are shaped like a small tube or capsule. The patient enters the chamber, and the pressure is gradually increased while they breathe pure oxygen through a mask or hood. These chambers are typically used in integrative centers and for home use. There are “hard” chambers and “soft” chambers. The difference is typically the PSI limit or pounds per square inch - chambers with hard shells and a higher PSI are more expensive and typically used in a commercial setting.  

  2. Multiplace Chambers: These chambers can accommodate multiple patients at once. Patients breathe oxygen through masks or hoods, while the chamber is pressurized. This type of chamber is used often in wound healing units and a healthcare provider typically monitors the treatment, but some are also designed for home, or non-commercial uses. 


HBOT Use in Cancer Treatment

The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in cancer treatment has been a topic of ongoing research, though it's important to note that while some studies show potential benefits, the evidence is not conclusive enough for the medical community to fully endorse HBOT as a standard cancer treatment. Although not typically accepted as a viable treatment under the conventional oncology system, integrative practitioners all over the country are using HBOT with great success for patients. Before starting HBOT, please seek the advice of a licensed health care provider. Here's a summary of some of the key mechanisms by which HBOT may help cancer patients:

1.   Tumor Oxygenation and Radiosensitization

HBOT increases the amount of oxygen that can be carried in the bloodstream, even beyond what is normally possible with hemoglobin (the molecule that carries oxygen). This helps to oxygenate tissues that may be poorly supplied with oxygen due to injury, infection, or disease. One of the primary mechanisms through which HBOT may be beneficial for cancer patients is by improving the oxygenation of tumors. Many tumors, especially solid tumors, often have poorly oxygenated (hypoxic) regions, which can make them less responsive to treatments like radiation therapy and chemotherapy. HBOT can increase the oxygen supply to these regions, potentially improving the effectiveness of these treatments.

  • A 2018 study published by Bennett MH, Feldmeier J, Smee R, Milross C. titled Hyperbaric Oxygenation for Tumour Sensitisation to Radiotherapy showed that HBOT could enhance the effects of radiation therapy in certain cancers by improving tumor oxygenation. The researchers concluded that HBOT might be an adjunctive treatment in radiation therapy to improve outcomes, particularly for tumors in hypoxic regions.

  • A 2016 study published by Stępień K, Ostrowski RP, Matyja E., titled Hyperbaric Oxygen as an Adjunctive Therapy in Treatment of Malignancies, including Brain Tumours, concluded that the administration of HBO can provide many clinical benefits in the treatment of tumours, including management of highly malignant gliomas. Applied immediately before irradiation, it is safe and well tolerated by patients, causing rare and limited side effects. The results obtained with a combination of HBO/radiotherapy protocol proved to be especially favourable compared to radiation treatment alone. HBO can also increase the cytostatic effect of certain drugs, which may render standard chemotherapy more effective. The currently available data support the legitimacy of conducting further research on the use of HBO in the treatment of malignancies.

2.   Reduction of Tumor Growth and Metastasis

HBOT may also have indirect effects on reducing tumor growth and metastasis. In a study by Chen, SY., Tsuneyama, K., Yen, MH. et al. titled, Hyperbaric oxygen suppressed tumor progression through the improvement of tumor hypoxia and induction of tumor apoptosis in A549-cell-transferred lung cancer, the findings indicated that the improvement of tumor hypoxia and tumor vascularity by HBOT did not promote tumor growth but inhibit tumor development, which provided evidence for the potential use of HBOT on tumor malignancy. Further, although the mechanism of HBOT on tumor suppression is not clear, the experiment indicates that HBOT results in tumor apoptosis. HBOT can increase the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce apoptosis of tumor cells.  

3.   Improvement in Healing

Cancer patients often suffer from tissue damage as a result of radiation therapy and surgery. HBOT is well-documented for its role in promoting wound healing, and it may help mitigate some of the side effects of cancer treatment, such as radiation-induced tissue damage.

4.   Enhanced Immune Response

There is also emerging evidence that HBOT could enhance the body's immune response, which could be particularly helpful in cancer patients.

  • A 2021 published by Ortega MA, Fraile-Martinez O, García-Montero C, Callejón-Peláez E, Sáez MA, Álvarez-Mon MA, García-Honduvilla N, Monserrat J, Álvarez-Mon M, Bujan J, Canals ML, titled A General Overview on the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Applications, Mechanisms and Translational Opportunities found that HBOT exerts direct effects on brain activity, chronic pain and immune dysregulation, therefore improving quality of life of affected patients. Overall, previous research has indicated the favourable effects of HBOT in the immune system and also on the whole body.

  • A 2023 study in Frontier in Oncology, published by Wang P, Wang XY, Man CF, Gong DD, Fan Y, titled Advances in hyperbaric oxygen to promote immunotherapy through modulation of the tumor microenvironment, summarizes that hyperbaric oxygen can influence immunotherapy by regulating the tumor microenvironment, providing a direction for the future development of immunotherapy. HBOT could stimulate the production of immune cells and enhance the body’s ability to fight cancer cells, especially in conjunction with immunotherapy. This effect might help to bolster the body’s ability to attack cancer cells more effectively.

5.   Mitigation of Treatment Effects

Some studies suggest that HBOT may help mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy and improve the overall quality of life for cancer patients.

HBOT Challenges + Considerations

  • Lack of Large-Scale Clinical Trials: Many of the studies conducted so far have been small or preclinical (animal studies), and there is a need for larger, randomized controlled trials to better understand the safety and efficacy of HBOT in cancer treatment.

 

  • Tumor Type and Stage: The benefits of HBOT may vary depending on the type of cancer and its stage. While HBOT has been shown to improve outcomes for some patients, especially those with head and neck cancers, its benefits may not be as pronounced in other types of cancer.

 

  • Potential Risks: HBOT can carry some risks, including barotrauma (damage to tissues due to changes in pressure), oxygen toxicity, and potential interference with certain chemotherapy agents. It's important that HBOT is used under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider.

Personal Experience with HBOT

Brady first used HBOT when he received treatment at the Cancer Center for Healing (CCFH) in Irvine, CA in January 2024. CCFH has a great HBOT department with four chambers. At the direction of Dr. Leigh Ann Connealy, he received HBOT three times a week for six weeks. He would sit in the hyberbaric chamber for 45-60 minutes per session. We both believe it had a huge impact on his overall wellbeing. During this time he was taking oral chemotherapy, and had significantly less symptoms while being on his chemo cycle when we were at CCFH. We attribute this to a myriad of treatments he was receiving that that time, but he believed HBOT played a large part.

When we returned home to rural Colorado after our six weeks at CCFH, we realized how difficult it was to access HBOT in our area. The closest wellness center with HBOT was 155 miles from us. We made that treck weekly for a month or so but the logistics of time and money eventually put an end to that. We have looked in to personally buying a hyperbaric chamber to keep in our home, and there are companies that do provide this product and the training to do it at home. We know other cancer warriors that have taken this path and are integrating HBOT into their healing journey, and it continues to be a point of discussion for us. For now, we have instead integrated ozone therapy as an alternative to oxygenate the body and cells.

Cancer Warriors Integrating HBOT into their Treatment

Instagram handles listed below:

  • Taylor Dukes - @taylordukeswellness

  • Zach Labie - @labiewellness

  • Dr. Pete Sulack - @drpetesulack

  • @cancerfighterowen

    If you want more information on HBOT, please visit the Cancer Center for Healing website linked HERE.


Jordan Buck
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