Chemotherapy and Diving Study Idea

[jeffinhburg]

I have been speaking with some docs about Bleomycin and oxygen toxicity. Before I go on with this topic, I want to assure everyone that I know that DAN and many docs do not recommend diving at any time after being given Bleo. However, apparently my internist did not know this and I had been diving for some time before I spoke to my oncologist, who told me that I risk oxygen toxicity problems at about 20 feet.

Since I had been diving up to 50 feet, felt fine, and am still here, I decided to do further research. Havng read every article I can find on the topics of bleomycin and oxygen toxicity, I have reached the conclusion that we lack really good data on the effects of Bleo over time after cessation of the treatment. Dr. Einhorn, a pioneer of testicular cancer treatment using BEP, has suggested that bleo effects are overhyped and probably diminish over time, but also noted that there is a lack of good data on the subject.

I am willing to accept a lot of risk in order not to have survived all that only to lose the things that I live for - but - it would be nice to know as well as possible what the extent of that risk is.

In talking to docs, I have made some headway with regard to convincing at least one med student and one doc that a study, or at least a compilation of data would make sense. However, he is worried (as I would be) that the general contraindication resulted in a lack of patients who received bleomycin and can provide dive data. I would like to post a proposal, with appropriate disclaimers that no diving should take place for the sole purpose of participation, in order to find out if there are others out there who had been, or are currently, diving despite having been administered bleomycin.

Obviously, I have a lot at stake and a lot of emotion wrapped up in this, so I need to prove whether the data is out there or not, and then get out of it. Therefore, before I keep going with regard to finding out if there are other potential subjects to convince someone to do research, I wanted to do a reality check with the people here and find out what possibly cooler heads think of this. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[vetdiver]

If you need anyone who's had another protocol, PM me - I had adrimycin/cytoxan for breast cancer a few years ago...and I have been back in the water pretty much nonstop since my hair grew back.

Good luck, and here's wishing you a long and FULFILLED life. May you spend as much time at 19 ft as you can manage!

 

[jeffinhburg]

It would be a whole different study, I think, because my limited understanding of adriamycin/cytoxan is that the primary problem with that drug combo is cardiac toxicity. It would be interesting, though, in that some cervical cancer patients are receiving an adriamycin/bleomycin combination.

Thanks for the good wishes. Having already done fine at 40 and 50 feet several times, I'm really wondering whether I'm likely good to that point on the basis that whatever damage may have been done to my lungs is not enough to cause problems at that level, or whether I'm rolling the dice with the same risk of a bleo tox reaction every time.

It would be hard to spend the summer at only 19 feet. :-(

If you need anyone who's had another protocol, PM me - I had adrimycin/cytoxan for breast cancer a few years ago...and I have been back in the water pretty much nonstop since my hair grew back.

Good luck, and here's wishing you a long and FULFILLED life. May you spend as much time at 19 ft as you can manage!

 

[vetdiver]

Yeah, the primary toxicity for adria is cardiac fibrosis. Had to get a cardiac contractility/output assessment and all that beforehand, and I'll admit, it took a while to get my cardiovascular abilities back after it was over! I have never had any resistance among my drs to my diving.

I did a quick pub med search yesterday and read a bit about the bleomycin issue - sounds like they just don't know what will happen over time. That stinks - I feel for you.

I still say that DAN is the most likely place that your data will find company, so I hope you submit your profiles to them, no matter what happens with the study you'd like to do with your drs. I'll admit that they annoy me a little bit with the seeming indifference with which the data is treated (as in - there doesn't appear to be an individual study - it just get puts into the big DAN vat, as far as I know), but I know that there are other cancer survivors submitting data, as well. Someday, this stuff could really help someone.

Best to you.

 

[jeffinhburg]

I know there are several docs and science grad degree people who read this board and post a lot. I'd really be interested in your opinions as to whether this idea would be a waste of time, unnecessary, or productive and worth pursuing. Also, any ideas as to how to make it more useful or productive would be great. Thank you for any insight you can provide.

 

[babar]

It's controversial, it used to be an absolute contraindication to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However now we're thinking that it may not be. There are some centers that will treat people who've had bleomycin, but generally they have a protocol for screening people, including pulmonary function studies, and 'trials' of oxygen. We had a case recently that after reviewing the data (which is mostly from anesthesiology in the operating room) we offered treatment. The point is I don't think there is any data regarding scuba diving after bleo.

Babar