Department
Medical Oncology
Radiation Injury, Tumor Sensitization
HBOT Applications
Delayed Radiation Injury
Standard-of-care treatment for osteoradionecrosis and soft tissue radiation necrosis. HBOT promotes angiogenesis in hypoxic, hypovascular, hypocellular irradiated tissue. A 2025 retrospective study of 45 patients with solid tumours treated with HBOT for cancer-treatment complications found no association between the number of sessions and metastasis or mortality.
Protocol
Pressure
2.0 – 2.4 ATA
Duration
90 min
Sessions
30 – 60
Frequency
Once daily, 5×/week
Evidence basis: UHMS / FDA-Approved
Radiation Cystitis & Proctitis
Approved adjunctive treatment for radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis and proctitis, reducing bleeding and promoting mucosal healing.
Protocol
Pressure
2.0 – 2.4 ATA
Duration
90 min
Sessions
30 – 40
Frequency
Once daily, 5×/week
Evidence basis: UHMS / Standard of Care
Tumour Radiosensitisation
Investigational. Hypoxic tumours resist radiotherapy, and HBOT given with radiotherapy has been studied as a way to overcome this. A Cochrane review of 19 trials (2,286 participants) found better local tumour control and lower mortality in head and neck cancer — possibly only with unusual fractionation schemes — but no clear benefit in cervical or bladder cancer, and a significantly higher risk of severe radiation tissue injury and oxygen-toxicity seizures.
Protocol
Pressure
Varied across trials
Duration
Varied across trials
Sessions
Per radiation course
Frequency
With each radiation fraction
Evidence basis: Bennett et al., 2018 (Cochrane review)
Breast Radiation Complications
Effective treatment for late radiation toxicity in breast cancer patients, including radiation dermatitis and tissue necrosis following breast-conserving surgery.
Protocol
Pressure
2.0 – 2.4 ATA
Duration
90 min
Sessions
30 – 40
Frequency
Once daily, 5×/week
Evidence basis: UHMS / Standard of Care
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