Can hydrogen gas help protect against radiation therapy side effects?

Yes, this study found that inhaling hydrogen gas significantly reduced bone marrow damage from radiation therapy. Patients who received hydrogen gas maintained better white blood cell and platelet counts compared to those receiving standard care.

Does hydrogen gas interfere with cancer treatment effectiveness?

No, the study showed that tumor response to radiation was the same whether patients received hydrogen gas or standard therapy. The protective effects on healthy tissue didn't compromise the cancer-fighting benefits of radiation.

How is hydrogen gas administered to cancer patients?

In this study, patients inhaled 5% hydrogen gas in a healthcare chamber for 30 minutes after each radiation therapy session. This was done once daily throughout their radiation treatment course.

What blood cell changes did hydrogen gas prevent?

Hydrogen gas significantly prevented the drop in white blood cells and platelets that typically occurs with radiation therapy. These cells are crucial for fighting infection and blood clotting, respectively.

Is hydrogen gas therapy safe for cancer patients?

The study found no safety concerns with hydrogen gas inhalation in cancer patients. The therapy appeared well-tolerated and didn't interfere with radiation treatment effectiveness or cause adverse effects.

Hydrogen Gas Protects Cancer Patients from Radiation Bone Marrow Damage

Authors: Shin-Ichi Hirano, Yukimasa Aoki, Xiao-Kang Li, Naotsugu Ichimaru, Shiro Takahara, Yoshiyasu Takefuji
Journal: Medical Gas Research
Year: 2021
DOI: 10.4103/2045-9912.314329
Study Type: Human
Outcome: Positive
Peer Reviewed: Yes
Country: Japan
Health Condition: Cancer
Body System: Hematological

TL;DR

Inhaling hydrogen gas can reduce the damage to bone marrow caused by a type of cancer treatment called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), without affecting the treatment's ability to fight tumors.

Key Finding

Cancer patients who inhaled hydrogen gas after radiation therapy experienced significantly less depletion of white blood cells and platelets compared to those receiving standard oxygen therapy, without reducing the effectiveness of the radiation treatment against tumors.

Summary

This study looked at whether inhaling hydrogen gas could protect bone marrow (the tissue that makes blood cells) from damage caused by radiation therapy in cancer patients. Researchers compared 16 cancer patients who inhaled 5% hydrogen gas after each radiation treatment to 7 patients who received standard oxygen therapy. They found that patients receiving hydrogen gas had less damage to white blood cells and platelets (cells that help with clotting) compared to the control group, while tumor response to radiation remained similar in both groups.

Practical Takeaway

This small, observational study suggests hydrogen gas inhalation may help protect blood-forming bone marrow during cancer radiation therapy. However, the study had only 23 total patients and was conducted at a single clinic, so larger, controlled trials would be needed to confirm these findings before hydrogen gas could be recommended as a standard protective treatment alongside radiation therapy.

Abstract

Although intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has been developed as an alternative to conventional radiotherapy, reducing bone marrow damage is limited. Thus, a novel technology is needed to further mitigate IMRT-induced bone marrow damage. Molecular hydrogen (H2) was recently reported as a preventive and therapeutic antioxidant that selectively scavenges hydroxyl radical (·OH) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-). This observational study aimed to examine whether H2 gas treatment improves IMRT-induced bone marrow damage in cancer patients. The study was performed at Clinic C4 in Tokyo, Japan between May 2015 and November 2016. During this period, all enrolled patients received IMRT once per day for 1 to 4 weeks. After each time of IMRT, the patients of control group (n = 7, 3 men and 4 women, age range: 26-70 years) received mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy in health care chamber for 30 minutes, and the patients of H2 group (n = 16, 8 men and 8 women, age range: 35-82 years) received 5% H2 gas in health care chamber for 30 minutes once per day. Radiation-induced bone marrow damage was evaluated by hematological examination of peripheral blood obtained before and after IMRT, and the data were expressed by the ratio after to before treatment. The total number of radiation times and total exposure doses of radiation were similar between the control and H2 groups. IMRT with health care chamber therapy significantly reduced white blood cells and platelets, but not red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit. In contrast, H2 gas treatment significantly alleviates the reducing effects of white blood cells and platelets (P = 0.0011 and P = 0.0275, respectively). Tumor responses to IMRT were similar between the two groups. The results obtained demonstrated that H2 gas inhalation therapy alleviated IMRT-induced bone marrow damage without compromising the anti-tumor effects of IMRT. The present study suggests that this novel approach of H2 gas inhalation therapy may be applicable to IMRT-induced bone marrow damage in cancer patients. The study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee Review of Tokyo Clinic and Research Institute ICVS Incorporated (Tokyo, Japan) on February 1, 2019, and was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN ID: UMIN000035864) on February 20, 2019.