‘May, 2019’ Archive

Bladder Cancer Stat facts; Males are more often affected than females. In the United States, in 2019, 80,470 cases and 17,670 deaths were expected making it the 6th most common type of cancer in the region. (1)

“New research helps explain why men are three to five times more likely to develop bladder cancer than women.”
PhD. Researchers and associate surgeons in the urology department at Boston Children’s Hospital, Dr. Satoshi Kaneko and Zue Sean Li, provide new insight into disparities in cancer risk and mortality between males and females. Their findings suggest that an X-chromosome-linked gene called KDM6A is potential new biomarker that can predict prognosis for patients with bladder cancer and could even set the stage for future therapies.(1)

Bladder cancer begins in cells in the urothelial lining of the bladder.
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is bleeding in the urine called hematuria.

Several sites, including the National Cancer Institute, state cigarette smoking as the most significant risk factor for bladder cancer, with smokers three to four times more likely to get the disease than nonsmokers.(2)
Next risk factors are family history, prior radiation therapy, frequent bladder infections, and exposure to chemotherapy or other certain chemicals.(3)

Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and immunotherapy are standard treatments for bladder and other pelvic malignancies such as prostate, bladder, rectal, and cervical cancers.(3)
At Advanced Hyperbaric Recovery, patients are referred to us from their urologists post surgically and post radiation when they are in great pain and are not healing after pelvic cancers.

The FDA approves of HBOT for radiation induced hemorrhagic cystitis.
Radiation Cystitis can range from minor, temporary, irritative voiding symptoms and painless, microscopic hematuria to more severe complications, such as gross hematuria.

Radiation-damage of the bladder does not become clinically evident until six months after initiation of the radiotherapy. Irradiated tissue sustains damage that results in microscopic obliterative endarteritis and progressive arteriopathy leaving the affected tissue hypocellular, hypovascular, and ischemic. Collagen and cells are replaced during the healing process, but complete restoration is unlikely to occur. Primarily, the ischemic bladder mucosa may cause mucosal ulceration and bleeding. Bleeding may also occur as a consequence of the formation of structurally weak and brittle vessels that easily rupture. The use of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) in the treatment of tissue damaged by radiation was pioneered by Marx et al. who suggested that HBOT enhances healing of tissues subjected to radiation therapy.

Marx et al. were the first to describe the therapeutic effects of HBOT in humans – on patients having undergone protracted radiation therapy of the head and neck. In an animal study predating the human study, the authors showed that animals subjected 100% O2 in a hyperbaric environment had an 8-9 times higher vascular density in irradiated tissue compared to both a normobaric group and an air-breathing control group. A four-year follow-up study showed that the angiogenic effect was long lasting. Oxygen in hyperbaric conditions leads to an increase of oxygen levels in tissues resulting in angiogenesis, increased collagen formation, and an increased number of fibroblasts. The angiogenesis is correlated, at least in part, to the macrophages of the affected tissue, which react to the steep oxygen gradient achieved in a hyperbaric environment. The increase in fibroblasts and collagen creates a connective tissue framework for the new vessels. The elevated level of oxygen also supports the regeneration of damaged tissue, as well as reducing edema, necrosis, and leukocytic infiltration. (6)




The pressurized environment helps to reduce swelling and discomfort, while providing the body with at least 10-15 times its normal supply of oxygen to help repair tissue damaged by the original occlusion or subsequent hypoxic condition. Hyperbaric Oxygenation (HBOT) directly increases the saturation of tissue oxygenation, slowing and reversing hypoxic induced apoptosis – restoring blood supply to the compromised region by the development of new capillary networks (neovascularization) enabling the body to alter the course and impact of the disease process. (7)

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is defined by The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS.org), as breathing 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than one atmosphere absolute (ATA).
The UHMS states that Hyperbaric oxygen is among the most studied and frequently reported applications in the treatment of delayed radiation injuries.Please read the implications and science here.



Our Patient obtains relief from post radiation cystitis symptoms from
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

In an eleven year follow up study done in 2012 by Drs Nakata et al., the doctors followed prostate cancer patients who suffered radiation induced cystitis. Prostate Cancer is the 2nd most prominent malignancy in Japan.
Comparison of late morbidity scores before and 11+ years after HBO therapy showed significant improvement. Early application of HBO treatment after the onset of hematuria appears to produce favorable outcome.(10)
Because the success depends on how quickly a patient can receive HBOT, approx 50% of prostate cancer patients who have radiation-induced hematuria treated with HBOT have resolution of their hematuria.(11)
HBOT is efficacious in the short and long term, with minimal side effects.(12)

Read about David Wolfe, a Pennsylvania resident, who recovers post radiation from anal cancer when nothing else worked.
More reasons Why Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is effective:
Read these 22 reasons that HBOT can help you.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved treatment for 13 health indications. Most insurance companies reimburse these indications when prescribed by a Physician.
Our award winning facility is conveniently located 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge near beautiful San Francisco. We would love for you to come and tour our facility.

HBOT is given in a hard steel medical grade device called a Hyperbaric chamber.
We charge a fraction of the cost, using the same style chambers as a hospital-based Hyperbaric unit. Our Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) uses 100% medical grade oxygen in hard steel chambers to pressurize our patients at greater than atmospheric pressure. HBOT is designed to increase the supply of oxygen and reverse hypoxia to areas in the body that are not responding to other treatments.(15)

Please join our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Carmine Van Deven, D.O., as he explores root causes of, natural cures and self care tips for headaches.
If YOU or anyone in your family or anyone in your community might be a candidate,
whose quality of life may be greatly improved with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy,
Please consider this remarkable medicine today.
Call us today for more information or to schedule a consultation with our Medical Hyperbaric Physician.
415-785-8652

Advanced Hyperbaric Medical Director, Jacqueline S. Chan, DO
Hyperbaric Physician is Board Certified in Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine and Family Practice

We celebrate our beautiful Administration “Bouquets,”
Denora Alviso and Claudia Gonzalez
on National Administrative Professionals’ Day

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