Ozone Therapy in the Management of Persistent Radiation Induced Rectal Bleeding in Prostate Cancer Patients

Ozone Therapy in the Management of Persistent Radiation‑Induced Rectal Bleeding in Prostate Cancer Patients

A prospective study by Clavó and colleagues, published in Evidence‑Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2015, investigated the role of ozone therapy for patients suffering from persistent rectal bleeding after pelvic radiotherapy for prostate cancer. The participants were men with radiation‑induced proctitis manifesting as chronic rectal bleeding that had not responded adequately to conventional measures. They were treated with ozonated auto‑hemotherapy (where a patient’s blood is mixed with ozone and reinfused) and/or rectal ozone‑insufflation, allowing a comparison of outcomes before and after therapy.

In the intervention, patients received repeated ozone treatments over several weeks in addition to standard supportive care, while baseline (pre‑treatment) bleeding frequency, hemoglobin levels, and need for blood transfusions were documented. Although there was no randomised placebo control, the before‑and‑after design enabled evaluation of changes in bleeding severity, hemoglobin recovery, and transfusion requirements.

Results indicated a marked reduction in rectal bleeding episodes, improvement in hemoglobin levels, and a decreased need for transfusions among most patients. Treatment was well tolerated, with minimal adverse effects reported (some transient flatulence). These findings suggest ozone therapy may offer a valuable adjunctive approach in select patients with radiation‑induced proctitis.

Reference:

Clavó B, Capellá G, Planas I, et al. Ozone therapy in the management of persistent radiation‑induced rectal bleeding in prostate cancer patients. Evidence Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2015;2015:480369. doi: 10.1155/2015/480369. PMID: 27656246; PMCID: PMC4556325.