Oxygen-ozone autohemotherapy in breast cancer patients suffering from fatigue and musculoskeletal pain upon aromatase inhibitors treatment: a case-series study.

In patients with breast cancer and positive hormone receptors, aromatase inhibitors are effective in reducing the risk of recurrences and are active in progressing the disease in this setting. On the other hand, fatigue and painful musculoskeletal side effects can significantly reduce treatment compliance. With no further treatment options to control these symptoms, non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as oxygen-ozone therapy, may play a role in managing rheumatologic symptomatology inasmuch. We have previously reported evidence on the effectiveness of oxygen-ozone in the treatment of pain and fatigue in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia patients and in oncological patients as well. In this study, we reported 6 cases of patients (mean age 64 yrs, all Caucasian females) with breast cancer upon treatment with anastrozole (Arimidex®), suffering from musculoskeletal pain, weakness and fatigue, and therefore treated with oxygen-ozone major autohemotherapy according to the Italian Scientific Society of Oxygen Ozone Therapy (SIOOT) protocol. Pain was measured with a 10-item Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) and fatigue with a 7-item Fatigue Scoring Scale (FSS). A reduction of at least 66% of pain (from 9.43 ±0.54 SD to 2.36 ±1.32 SD, p<0.001) and 66.26% of fatigue were obtained for all the cases. Pain and fatigue disappeared within one month from ozone therapy, and a healthy painless state lasted for many months following the oxygen-ozone therapy. The oxygen-ozone therapy is a sound opportunity for breast cancer patients to reduce anti-aromatase-induced pain, fatigue, and musculoskeletal symptoms.