Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) was first proposed as an alternative treatment for cancer and other conditions in the 1960s. At the time, research studies did not achieve any reproducible results, which engendered much skepticism among medical personnel. This skepticism even extended to HBO's use in treating clinical conditions that it had previously been shown to help. It was not until the 1970's that surgeons of the head and neck region came to recognize the value of hyperbaric oxygen in treating damage of the maxilla and mandible occurring during radiation treatments. Research into this therapy has since shown Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to be effective when used in conjunction with conventional therapies for the prevention and treatment of osteoradionecrosis (Chronic radiation damage is called "osteoradionecrosis" when the bone is damaged and "soft tissue radionecrosis" if it is muscle, skin or internal organs which have been damaged by the radiation.)

There is also evidence to suggest that HBOT may be helpful as a therapy for soft tissue injury caused by radiation, as well as restoring tissues and cells damaged by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For more information about HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENTS FOR COMPLICATIONS OF RADIATION THERAPY, please visit http://www.uhms.org/ResourceLibrary/Indications/DelayedRadiationInjury/tabid/281/Default.aspx

News/ References

• Hyperbaric Oxygenation - New strategy for attacking brain tumors!
   

• BBC News: Decompression chambers, used to treat deep-sea divers with the bends, could hold the key to relieving a painful side effect of breast cancer.
   

• More World News Coverage on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

“Lack of oxygen clearly plays a major role in causing cells to become cancerous.”
(Goldblatt, Harry, MD, Journal of Experimental Medicine)

“Cancer cells are less virulent and may even be destroyed by the presence of a high oxygen environment.”
(Altman, Nathaniel, Oxygen Healing Therapies)