Hydrogen Therapy Shows Promise for Advanced Cancer Patients
- Authors
- Ji-Bing Chen, You-Yong Lu, Ke-Cheng Xu
- Journal
- Medical Gas Research
- Year
- 2020
- DOI
- 10.4103/2045-9912.296044
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Advanced Cancer
- Body System
- Immune System
TL;DR
Researchers looked at 82 cancer patients who used hydrogen products and found it might help fight cancer in two ways: by stopping cancer cells and waking up the immune system to fight back. However, they say we need much bigger and better studies to prove it actually works before doctors should use it widely.
Key Finding
A real-world survey of 82 advanced cancer patients using hydrogen products reported potential clinical value, though the evidence remains preliminary and lacks the rigorous testing needed to establish definitive efficacy.
Summary
This review examined how hydrogen products have been used by 82 advanced cancer patients in real-world settings, including those who didn't respond to standard treatments or chose not to pursue them. The researchers reviewed existing studies on how hydrogen might work against cancer through two potential mechanisms: directly damaging cancer cells and boosting immune cells that fight tumors. While the review suggests hydrogen showed promise in these patients, the authors acknowledge that much more rigorous research is needed to confirm whether it actually works.
Practical Takeaway
This is a narrative review summarizing anecdotal reports rather than a controlled study, so it cannot prove hydrogen products treat cancer. While early observations in 82 patients suggest possible benefits, this type of evidence is considered preliminary. Anyone considering hydrogen products for cancer should discuss this with their oncologist, as large-scale, well-designed clinical trials are still needed to determine safety and effectiveness.
Abstract
The use of hydrogen for cancer control has made great progress in cytology and animal experiments. With the increasing number of hydrogen products on the market, larger numbers of advanced cancer patients have participated in clinical trials or received treatment at home after purchase. Our study reported a real-world survey from 82 patients with good cancer control using hydrogen products, including real world evidence from patients who received ineffective traditional treatment, patients who received traditional treatment that failed, or patients who refused traditional treatment. Two typical cases were reported herein. Subsequently, we included studies on the mechanism of hydrogen oncology. The mechanism of cancer control using hydrogen includes the inhibition of tumor cells and the activation of exhausted lymphocytes. Large-scale real world evidence has shown clinical value, and yet remains to be further developed and researched.