Ozone Therapy and Cancer: What the Evidence Says

Cancer has been the subject of a great deal of research, and doctors and researchers are still looking for better ways to treat it. Research has also shown that our environment plays a role: some substances we are exposed to can damage the DNA of healthy cells and raise the risk of developing cancer.

AWAREmed’s approach to cancer care: Supportive and adjunctive care alongside conventional medical treatment.

Environmental Exposures and Cancer Risk

Long-term exposure to certain cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), often in the workplace, can raise the risk of some cancers by altering DNA. Factory chemicals such as benzene and vinyl chloride are known to cause certain types of cancer. Limiting these exposures and following workplace safety rules are practical steps toward reducing risk.

Many alternative cancer programs focus on "detoxification." Your body already has its own detoxification systems, mainly the liver, kidneys, gut and skin, and supporting them with good nutrition, hydration and physical activity is reasonable. However, there is no good evidence that detox procedures flush cancer cells or free radicals out of the body, or that cancer returns because of leftover toxins.

Coffee Enemas

Programs that use rectal ozone often use coffee enemas too, an approach that became known through Dr. Max Gerson’s Gerson Therapy, where they were used for detoxification. Supporters point to research from the early 1980s by Dr. Lee Wattenberg reporting that compounds in coffee (kahweol and cafestol palmitate) increased the activity of glutathione S-transferase, an enzyme involved in the body’s own detoxification. That was laboratory and animal research on coffee compounds, not a study of coffee enemas in people with cancer, and there are no well-designed clinical trials showing that coffee enemas treat cancer or improve liver function. Coffee enemas also carry risks, including burns, dehydration, salt imbalances and bowel injury.

What Is Ozone Therapy?

Ozone is a form of oxygen made of three oxygen atoms instead of two, and it is a strong oxidant. In ozone therapy, a mixture of ozone and oxygen is given to the body in different ways. An older method, autohemotherapy, involves drawing some of a patient’s blood, exposing it to ozone and returning it into a vein. A newer method, rectal insufflation, passes the gas into the rectum through a small catheter. Rectal insufflation is less invasive than autohemotherapy because no blood is removed.

How Rectal Ozone Is Done

The person lies on their side while a small catheter is inserted a few inches into the rectum, and a measured amount of the ozone-oxygen gas is given slowly over several minutes. The person is then asked not to have a bowel movement or pass gas for a while, so the procedure is usually done after a bowel movement.

What Does the Research Show?

Supporters suggest that because ozone is a strong oxidant, it may harm cancer cells while healthy cells are protected by antioxidants in the blood. This idea comes mainly from laboratory and animal research. Ozone has been looked at in small, early studies as an add-on to standard care, but there are no well-designed clinical trials showing that ozone therapy, given by any method, treats cancer or helps people with cancer live longer. Claims about the safety of rectal ozone, or that it is as effective as other methods, have not been confirmed.

The FDA considers ozone a toxic gas and has not approved ozone therapy for any medical condition, including cancer.

Safety Concerns

• Breathing in ozone irritates and can damage the lungs, so ozone equipment must be handled carefully
• Rectal insufflation can cause cramping, bloating, gas and discomfort
• Rare but serious complications, such as gas bubbles in the blood (embolism), have been reported, mainly with methods that put ozone directly into the blood
• Autohemotherapy carries the risks of any procedure that removes and returns blood, such as infection
• People with low blood counts, bleeding problems or bowel tumors may face added risks

How AWAREmed Can Help

At AWAREmed in Johnson City, Tennessee, Dr. Dalal Akoury, MD, MPH, offers supportive, whole-person care for people living with cancer. This care is meant to work alongside, not replace, the treatment plan from your oncologist, and we coordinate with your cancer care team. Learn more about our integrative oncology support.

Related reading: Coffee enemas and cancer: what the evidence says

Questions? Call us at (423) 430-6170 or book a consultation.