Ozone treatment for radiotherapy skin reactions: is there an evidence base for practice?

Clinical staff and researchers working together can do much to bridge the gap between research and practice. This paper reports on the practice of treating severe radiotherapy skin reactions with ozone therapy; a practice that has been in place for a number of years at a specialist oncology hospital in England and perceived to be beneficial in terms of wound healing and pain relief. A multidisciplinary team of clinical staff and researchers questioned the evidence base for this practice and a literature search revealed little support for the effectiveness of this treatment in this particular context. The views of patients receiving ozone therapy were sought and assessment forms were completed to gain objective information on the progress (or otherwise) of wound healing. While patients perceived the ozone treatment to be beneficial in terms of pain relief, it was impossible to isolate the impact of ozone alone as other preparations and treatments were also being given. Patient reports and nursing assessments did not support that ozone was effective at wound healing. A more formal evaluation of this treatment is being planned, supported by the shared governance initiative at the study site and a continued collaboration between clinical staff and researchers.