Heather Bedard, C.H.E.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a therapy done by breathing in pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. The studies that have been done have not shown a clear mechanism of action and either little or minimal improvement on cancer, and more studies need to be done on humans to really know outcomes.
A review titled, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Cancer, outlines that whether or not hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used alone or in conjunction with another therapy, more research needs to be done and very little effectiveness is found.[1] This is true in many different types of cancers including breast, prostate, and colorectal. Some researchers hypothesize that since some cancers thrive with lack of oxygen, and that flooding the body with pure oxygen would have the opposite effect. Actual studies, however, are inconclusive and more research needs to be done.
I would not consider this as a legitimate treatment due to the lack of research, and I would not recommend it for the same reason.
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[1] Moen I, Stuhr LE. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and cancer--a review. Target Oncol. 2012;7(4):233-242. doi:10.1007/s11523-012-0233-x
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