Cancer patients try out oxygen.

AN oxygen treatment given to divers with the "bends" is to be tried out on cancer patients suffering side effects of radiotherapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves sitting in a sealed chamber and breathing pure oxygen while the air pressure is slowly increased. The treatment is used to tackle decompression sickness in divers, and to help injured elite footballers heal more quickly.

Doctors hope it will also alleviate unpleasant side effects associated with radiotherapy for cancer in the pelvic region.

Most patients return to normal within a few weeks of stopping treatment. But about 30% develop long-term problems including diarrhoea, stomach cramps and frequent bowel movements.

The HOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) II trial will involve 75 patients.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates