Can diving prevent cancer?

[TSandM]

I'm too lazy this morning to do a literature search on this, but if hyperbaric oxygen had a major effect on the replication of malignant cells, I would suspect that hyperbaric treatments would be widely used for patients with inoperable tumors, and it is not. This suggests to me that there aren't any good data to support the practice.

What has struck me, however, is that I have now met a significant number of divers who have spent years diving very actively, using Nitrox and helium mixes. Although these particular divers are also fitness nuts, I have noticed that they look amazingly young for their actual chronological ages -- I'm talking in terms of gray hair and skin wrinkling and the like. I have definitely wondered whether prolonged exposure to either high ppO2s or helium does something to retard aging processes.

I think it's too late for me, though since it's cheaper than a facelift, I think I'll use it as an excuse to do more diving

 

[Cave Diver]

I'm too lazy this morning to do a literature search on this, but if hyperbaric oxygen had a major effect on the replication of malignant cells, I would suspect that hyperbaric treatments would be widely used for patients with inoperable tumors, and it is not. This suggests to me that there aren't any good data to support the practice.

I was thinking something along that line, thanks for the confirmation.

What has struck me, however, is that I have now met a significant number of divers who have spent years diving very actively, using Nitrox and helium mixes. Although these particular divers are also fitness nuts, I have noticed that they look amazingly young for their actual chronological ages -- I'm talking in terms of gray hair and skin wrinkling and the like. I have definitely wondered whether prolonged exposure to either high ppO2s or helium does something to retard aging processes.

I think it's too late for me, though since it's cheaper than a facelift, I think I'll use it as an excuse to do more diving

Well, along those same lines regarding hair, both my buddy and I have noticed something in regard to diving high PO2 mixes. Neither of us have heavy beards, it takes me 4 days to get a "five o clock shadow. " We've both noticed that after a day of doing dives that include a lot of deco time on 100% 02, we have noticeable stubble by the following morning, so there seems to be some stimulating affect from it.

 

[Gene_Hobbs]

This is an interesting discussion... Thanks!

As for HBO and cancer... There was debate over how to use HBO as an adjunct to other oncological interventions. In VERY simple terms it is broken down into two areas (and I'll try to keep it as such):

Active cancer: Historically, Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO2) has not been given to patients (pts) that have known cancer. The reason for this was that HBO2 promotes tissue growth. The thought process has been that by giving HBO2 you are not only helping the tissue and nerves around a cancer grow and become healthy but you are also helping the cancer grow (tumor angiogenesis). A 1994 literature review showed that the "published information fails to support a cancer-causing or growth-enhancing effect by HBO" and a further review in 2003 showed "little basis for HBO2 to enhance malignant growth or metastases. A history of malignancy should not be considered a contraindication for HBO2 therapy".[1, 2]

Some have even suggested that an increase in tumor oxygenation would be beneficial for delivery of tumor killing drugs (chemotherapy agents).[3] This would be similar to the use of hyperthermia to weaken cells as an adjunct to other oncological therapy.

Post cancer: The majority of cancer pts receiving HBO2 here and I dare say in the US are being treated for damage caused by the oncological interventions. In particular, radiation can not just target unhealthy cells some some of the surrounding tissues are impacted. In many pts, this is not an issue. In pts with other diseases (co-morbidities) like diabetes, the heathy cells are at a disadvantage because they can't get the oxygen they need due to a break down of the blood vessels (capillaries) leading to the damaged tissue. HBO2 saturates the not only red blood cells but plasma with O2. Since the O2 saturated plasma can reach the affected sites (red blood cells are pretty big in comparison), wound oxygenation increases and will continue to increase as the body repairs the vessels leading to that wound. It is not uncommon for the wounds to start hurting as they heal. Nerves can also repair themselves in some cases.

Again, fun topic!


1. Feldmeier, JJ; Heimbach, RD; Davolt, DA; Brakora, MJ; Sheffield, PJ; Porter, AT. Does hyperbaric oxygen have a cancer-causing or -promoting effect? A review of the pertinent literature. Undersea Hyperb Med. 1994 Dec;21(4):467-75. RRR ID: 2135
2. Feldmeier, JJ; Carl, U; Hartmann, K; Sminia, P. Hyperbaric oxygen: does it promote growth or recurrence of malignancy? Undersea Hyperb Med. 2003 Spring;30(1):1-18. RRR ID: 3938
3. Heys, SD; Smith, IC; Ross, JA; Gilbert, FJ; Brooks, J; Semple, S; Miller, ID; Hutcheon, A; Sarkar, T; Eremin, O. A pilot study with long term follow up of hyperbaric oxygen pretreatment in patients with locally advanced breast cancer undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2006 Jan-Feb;33(1):33-43. RRR ID: 5012

 

[Cave Diver]

Thanks for joining the discussion Gene!

This is an interesting discussion... Thanks!

As for HBO and cancer... There was debate over how to use HBO as an adjunct to other oncological interventions. In VERY simple terms it is broken down into two areas (and I'll try to keep it as such):

Active cancer: Historically, Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO2) has not been given to patients (pts) that have known cancer. The reason for this was that HBO2 promotes tissue growth. The thought process has been that by giving HBO2 you are not only helping the tissue and nerves around a cancer grow and become healthy but you are also helping the cancer grow (tumor angiogenesis). A 1994 literature review showed that the "published information fails to support a cancer-causing or growth-enhancing effect by HBO" and a further review in 2003 showed "little basis for HBO2 to enhance malignant growth or metastases. A history of malignancy should not be considered a contraindication for HBO2 therapy".[1, 2]

Some have even suggested that an increase in tumor oxygenation would be beneficial for delivery of tumor killing drugs (chemotherapy agents).
[3] This would be similar to the use of hyperthermia to weaken cells as an adjunct to other oncological therapy.

If I read the statement in bold correctly, it seems to indicate that the use of higher oxygen content does not promote the growth of cancerous cells in the same way that it benefits healthy cells and may increase the effectiveness of other treatments.

If that's true, then oxgenating at the very least won't cause any additional harm and at best may have some beneficial effects?

Post cancer: The majority of cancer pts receiving HBO2 here and I dare say in the US are being treated for damage caused by the oncological interventions. In particular, radiation can not just target unhealthy cells some some of the surrounding tissues are impacted. In many pts, this is not an issue. In pts with other diseases (co-morbidities) like diabetes, the heathy cells are at a disadvantage because they can't get the oxygen they need due to a break down of the blood vessels (capillaries) leading to the damaged tissue. HBO2 saturates the not only red blood cells but plasma with O2. Since the O2 saturated plasma can reach the affected sites (red blood cells are pretty big in comparison), wound oxygenation increases and will continue to increase as the body repairs the vessels leading to that wound. It is not uncommon for the wounds to start hurting as they heal. Nerves can also repair themselves in some cases.

Again, fun topic!

This part seems to support what MrFixIt related in terms of post operative improvement through the use of nitrox, although its not HBO2?

Thanks for the contributions!

 

[cutlass]

IMHO, the ideas that HBO2 may be beneficial in suppressing cancer and, OTOH, might promote cancer aggressiveness may both be the result of improper reasoning from normal cell metabolism. The problem with both ideas is the Warburg effect which basically proposes that cancer cells derive their energy differently than normal cells. In particular, cancer cell energy comes directly from non-oxidative glycolysis as opposed to the normal cell's citric acid (Krebs) cycle in the mitochondria. Briefly, this means that cancer cells should: 1) actually produce less toxic waste (oxygen radicals) than normal cells which lowers the risk of self-poisoning and 2) have their metabolism less affected by O2 levels.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I'm too lazy this morning to do a literature search on this.....

I can't say if I'd ever call TS&M lazy! I've attempted to read parts of her journal and blog. She certainly does not appear to be a couch potato. I was very pleasantly surprised to find the Rubicon link and to further read Gene Hobb's response. I've often wondered how the gases used during dives truly affect my body on the long term. The gases may help oxygenate the tissue, but doesn't it adversely affect your bones? I know, this is not a question for this thread, but one can't stop at just the affect on tissues. This is a fascinating area which requires more research.

 

[C-slug]

I was had the TV on with the morning news for background noise and they had some fitness guru on talking about various things with diet and exercise. I was only half listening at the time, but he started saying something about breathing techniques and how it can improve overall health.

One statement he made was that cancer has difficulty reproducing in well oxgenated cells.

If this was an accurate statement it immediately made me wonder if people who dive regularly, especially on nitrox and that are exposed to higher partial pressures, may have a lower incident of cancer.

Would this make hypabaric treatmeants, like diabetic patients get for wounds, another viable treatment option?

Has anyone else ever heard of this, or is just more "fitness hype" from someone trying to sell more books?

Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg found that ALL forms of cancer have two basic and necessary conditions for development and growth: acidosis and hypoxia. Those two conditions go hand in hand. Bodies which are too acidic (e.g. the standard American diet - SAD, for short) do not assimilate and utilize oxygen as efficiently as they should. Change those two conditions and cancer cells will be incapable of further tumor growth. Eventually they will die of the natural cell death process known as apoptosis. Obviously, when the apoptotic cell death rate exceeds the cell doubling rate, tumors will gradually melt away. Consequently, widely available home hyperbaric oxygen chambers (1.3 - 1.5 atm) should be capable of allowing people to at least live WITH cancer for an indefinite periodt of time. Increasing oxygen concentrations should also be able to allow for lower doses of chemo drugs, with a concomitant lessening of the unpleasant symptoms associated with higher doses (e.g. nausea, hair loss, etc.).

For what it's worth. I've owned an HBOT for over ten years now and spend many afternoons napping inside. Perhaps this schedule coupled with my highly alkaline diet is keeping me free of any detectable malignancies at the age of 72. I have the same energy and even the same weight that I had in my young adulthood.

 

[scubadada]

Only 14 1/2 years since the last post, just as crazy as it was then. Happy napping @C-slug

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg found that ALL forms of cancer have two basic and necessary conditions for development and growth: acidosis and hypoxia. Those two conditions go hand in hand. Bodies which are too acidic (e.g. the standard American diet - SAD, for short) do not assimilate and utilize oxygen as efficiently as they should. Change those two conditions and cancer cells will be incapable of further tumor growth. Eventually they will die of the natural cell death process known as apoptosis. Obviously, when the apoptotic cell death rate exceeds the cell doubling rate, tumors will gradually melt away. Consequently, widely available home hyperbaric oxygen chambers (1.3 - 1.5 atm) should be capable of allowing people to at least live WITH cancer for an indefinite periodt of time. Increasing oxygen concentrations should also be able to allow for lower doses of chemo drugs, with a concomitant lessening of the unpleasant symptoms associated with higher doses (e.g. nausea, hair loss, etc.).

For what it's worth. I've owned an HBOT for over ten years now and spend many afternoons napping inside. Perhaps this schedule coupled with my highly alkaline diet is keeping me free of any detectable malignancies at the age of 72. I have the same energy and even the same weight that I had in my young adulthood.

Very glad that you're healthy, and not sure that napping in a mild hyperbaric chamber has anything to do with it.

Best regards,
DDM