Leslie Sorensen
Enoch Huang
Nathalie Johnson
Summary
Legacy oncology clinical research, in collaboration with Legacy Health Hyperbaric Medicine, have been working to develop a pilot study comparing acute post-radiation hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) versus Trental and Vitamin E for breast cancer patients who have recently completed radiation therapy as part of their treatment course. Patients who have been treated with radiation therapy often develop collateral tissue injury, resulting in hypocellular, hypovascular, and hypoxic tissues. This tissue is at increased risk of fibrosis, infection, ulceration, and poor healing of wounds. These symptoms commonly show up 6 months or more after completion of radiation therapy, and it is difficult to identify patients who will develop complications versus those that will not.
Why is this important?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an approved treatment modality for delayed radiation treatment injury, stimulating angiogenesis in irradiated tissue and improving capillary density and reducing morbidity. There is preliminary data that shows that acute post-operative HBO2 improves quality of life in patients who have had post-mastectomy radiation therapy. Legacy oncology clinical research conducted/completed/published in 2016 a pilot study funded by the Legacy Foundation. The study demonstrated that a 6-month course of pentoxifylline and Vitamin E was able to successfully improve quality of life in this patient population. We wish to compare patients that receive hyperbaric oxygen or pentoxifylline and Vitamin D immediately after completion of radiation therapy.
