Vitality Unleashed: The Functional Medicine Podcast

Ozone And Cancer

• Dr. Kumar from LifeWellMD.com • Season 1 • Episode 182

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A reactive gas that might make tumors less resistant, treatments more effective, and recovery more manageable sounds risky at first blush—but the science tells a more nuanced story. We unpack how medical ozone doesn’t attack tumors directly; instead, it forms short-lived messengers that can improve oxygen delivery, stress tumor mitochondria, and nudge the immune system toward better surveillance. The result is a systems-level effect that could reduce hypoxia, enhance T cell infiltration, and amplify the impact of chemotherapy and radiation without displacing them.

We start with selective toxicity: why cancer’s weakened antioxidant defenses and altered metabolism make it vulnerable to brief oxidative pulses that healthy tissue can buffer. From there, we explore microcirculation—2,3-DPG shifts that loosen hemoglobin’s grip on oxygen, improved red cell flexibility, lower viscosity, and nitric-oxide–driven vasodilation that preferentially benefits the most hypoxic zones. It’s a regulatory pattern, not a blunt flood, and it maps neatly onto what tumors use to resist radiation and blunt chemo.

Immune modulation adds another lever. Animal studies point to fewer metastases, delayed growth, and more CD3+ T cells inside tumors, with macrophages and NK cells engaged. In vitro, common agents like 5-FU and cisplatin often perform better—even in resistant lines—when ozone’s signaling environment is present. A standout rat model in tongue cancer showed median survival jumping from 3.5 to 49 days when ozone joined radiation, an eye-opening signal that begs for well-powered human trials.

Quality of life matters too. Patients report less fatigue, nausea, and GI distress, and local ozone applications may speed wound healing after surgery, keeping radiation and chemo on schedule. We stress the ethical bottom line: ozone therapy should be complementary, never a substitute for proven oncology care. If we can use it to lower hypoxia, prime immunity, and reduce side effects, standard treatments may hit harder and patients may endure less.

If this integrative approach resonates, subscribe, share with someone navigating cancer care, and leave a review with your biggest question. Your feedback helps us bring sharper evidence and clearer guidance to future episodes.

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The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your supplement regimen or health routine. Individual needs and reactions vary, so it’s important to make informed decisions with the guidance of your physician.

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SPEAKER_00:

Welcome back to the deep dive. We're all about giving you that shortcut to being truly well informed. And today, well, we're diving into something pretty fascinating, maybe a bit controversial for some: ozone therapy, or O3T, specifically looking at it as a potential adjuvant tool in oncology based on the science.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it's a topic that definitely raises eyebrows sometimes, ozone therapy. Sounds maybe a little out there, but the science we've looked at these are comprehensive reviews, pulling together decades of lab work, animal studies, some limited human data. It really warrants a serious conversation. Our goal here is to pull out the facts for anyone looking at ways to maximize wellness and treatment outcomes.

SPEAKER_00:

Exactly. We're wading into the waters of integrative oncology, which is all about strategically combining the best of conventional care with complementary treatments that actually have evidence behind them. This is really where you see experts who can bridge those two worlds.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. Yeah. And it's crucial work. You have leaders in the field like Dr. Kumar over at lifewellmd.com. He's board certified in radiation oncology and an expert in functional medicine. That combination is key. His work really shows how this evolving science can be applied responsibly, aiming for better outcomes, better quality of life, going beyond just standard protocols.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so let's get into the nuts and bolts then. How does this molecule, ozone, which is, well, pretty reactive stuff, how does it interact with something as complex as a cancer cell?

SPEAKER_01:

Right. So the first thing to grasp, and this is really central, is that in clinical use, the ozone itself rarely, if ever, directly touches the tumor cells. Its action is indirect. When medical grain ozone mixes with your blood, it reacts almost instantly. It creates these secondary messengers, think hydrogen peroxide, yes, H2O2, and certain lipid oxidation products like 4H and E.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so it's not the ozone itself doing the work inside the body, but these messengers it creates.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. These messengers travel through the system and they basically trigger adaptive responses. It's more of a signal than a direct attack.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell, which brings us to this idea of selective toxicity. Why would these messengers preferentially harm cancer cells but leave healthy cells largely alone?

SPEAKER_01:

It really boils down to a fundamental difference, a weakness in cancer cell metabolism. Cancer cells are obsessed with growth. They multiply like crazy, often relying heavily on sugar for fuel. That's the Warburg effect you hear about. And critically, their antioxidant defenses are usually way down. Lower levels of catalase, SOD, glutathione, and peroxides compared to healthy cells.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell Okay. So they're already running on low defenses. Then these ozone-induced ROS reactive oxygen species show up. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01:

It's just too much for them. That sudden burst of oxidative stress overwhelms their already weak defenses. The damage starts hitting lipids, proteins, DNA, and that kicks off apoptosis. Programs cell death.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell, let's focus on that for a second. You mentioned apoptosis. Where do the mitochondria fit into this picture? I hear they're a key target.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, absolutely key. The mitochondria, the cell's power plants, are very sensitive to this kind of oxidative hit. When these O3T messagers disrupt the mitochondrial function, the potential across their membrane, it's essentially a death knell for the cancer cell. This disruption makes them release things like cytochrome C.

SPEAKER_00:

Which triggers the CAS-base cascade?

SPEAKER_01:

Precisely. That's the cell's own self-destruct sequence. It dismantles the cell cleanly. Meanwhile, your healthy cells, they generally have enough antioxidant capacity to handle that stress, repair, and carry on. It's quite an elegant targeted mechanism, really.

SPEAKER_00:

That selective killing is, wow, that's potent. But cancer isn't just the cell itself, right? It's the whole neighborhood, the tumor microenvironment. How does O3T deal with, say, tumor resistance? That's a huge issue.

SPEAKER_01:

A massive issue. And that environment is crucial. One of the biggest challenges is tumor hypoxia, low oxygen levels inside the tumor. Hypoxic tumors are notoriously tough. They can be up to three times more resistant to radiation therapy, and they blunt the effects of chemotherapy, too.

SPEAKER_00:

So if O3T can improve oxygen levels, that's a direct hit against resistance. But how? It's not like you're just pumping in oxygen, right?

SPEAKER_01:

No, no, it's much more subtle. It triggers several biological shifts. For instance, it increases something called 2003 DPG in red blood cells. Think of 2003 DPG as like a little lever.

SPEAKER_00:

A lever.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, it nudges hemoglobin to release its oxygen more readily into the tissue, so better oxygen delivery. Plus, O3T seems to make red blood cells a bit more flexible, and it can reduce blood viscosity, makes the blood flow easier. It also stimulates nitric oxide production in the blood vessel linings, which causes vasodilation, opening up those tiny capillaries for better flow.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, but does this happen everywhere equally, or is it targeted somehow?

SPEAKER_01:

That's what's really interesting. The study suggests it's regulatory. The effect is strongest where it's needed most. So you see significant improvements in oxygenation and blood flow, primarily in the most hypoxic areas, the tissues with the lowest baseline levels. It's not just a blanket effect. It seems to selectively fix the problem where the problem is worst.

SPEAKER_00:

That makes a lot of sense for avoiding unwanted side effects. Okay, so O3T helps fix the oxygen problem. How does that affect the immune system's role in fighting the cancer?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, O3T is actually considered a biological response modifier. It can give the immune system a significant nudge. We see in animal models, for example, O3T reducing lung metastases, delaying tumor growth, suggesting this strong indirect effect via immunity. Some studies specifically show tumor shrinkage linked to more CD3 plus T lymphocytes getting into the tumor.

SPEAKER_00:

More T cells inside the tumor. So O3T is potentially helping the immune system see and attack the cancer better.

SPEAKER_01:

That's the implication, yeah. It seems to modulate cytokines, the immune system signaling molecules, and activate key players like macrophages and natural killer or NK cells. This fits really well, actually, with modern immunotherapy approaches. It's about making that tumor microenvironment less friendly to the cancer.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, now let's talk synergy. This is where the integrative approach really shines, right? Combining O3T with standard treatments like chemo or radiation, what happens then?

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell The potentiation effects seen in preclinical studies are pretty striking. In lab dishes, in vitro, O3T has been shown to make common chemo drugs like five chlorocell work better. Sometimes even in cell lines that had become resistant, similar effects were seen with drugs like cisplatin and adipicide.

SPEAKER_00:

And the animal studies. You mentioned one with tongue cancer in rats that sounded dramatic.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. That one really stands out. In that model, radiation therapy alone gave a median survival of about 3.5 days. But when they combined radiation with O3T, the median survival jumped to 49 days.

SPEAKER_00:

Wow, 3.5 days versus 49 days. That is that's a massive difference.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. It's the kind of contrast that really makes you pay attention and ask, okay, what's happening here?

SPEAKER_00:

How do we bridge that gap though, from those, you know, controlled animal studies to the complexities of human patients? What's the challenge in getting those kinds of results clinically?

SPEAKER_01:

The biggest challenge is the need for large, well-designed, randomized clinical trials, or RCTs. They're expensive, complex logistically, but the underlying mechanisms improving oxygenation, modulating immunity that make sense biologically. It's not just random chance in the animals. The idea is that by addressing things like hypoxia, O3T could potentially lower the tumor's defenses, making standard treatments pack a bigger punch.

SPEAKER_00:

Beyond just fighting the cancer cells, there's the patient's experience during treatment. Quality of life is huge. Does O3T offer anything there?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. Even with the limited clinical data we have, there are consistent reports of improved quality of life. People track this using standardized scores, like the QLQC30. Patients often report less fatigue, less nausea, fewer GI issues, those really draining side effects. And this matters a lot, especially for patients who are still relatively functional, say a Kornowsky score of 70% or more. Feeling better helps them stick to their tough treatment schedules.

SPEAKER_00:

Which brings up a really practical point avoiding treatment delays. That can be critical.

SPEAKER_01:

It really can. Sometimes after surgery to remove a tumor, the wound just doesn't heal well. And that can force delays in starting a central radiation or chemo. There's evidence that local O3T, maybe applied topically or using an ozonized oil, can actually speed up that wound healing.

SPEAKER_00:

And there's data on that preventing follow-up surgeries.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. One preliminary study looked at 28 cancer patients with slow healing surgical wounds. Of those who were actually scheduled for another operation to fix the wound, 84% didn't end up needing it after getting local O3T. That meant they could proceed with their planned radiation or chemo on time. That's a tangible benefit.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, we've covered a lot of promising science, but we have to circle back to what all the reviews emphasize the lack of those big RCTs.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely crucial point. And it dictates how this therapy should be viewed and used right now. Given the strong preclinical signals, but the relative lack of large-scale human proof, the ethical consensus is crystal clear. O3T should never be considered an alternative to standard cancer treatment. It's not a replacement.

SPEAKER_00:

It has to be complementary, integrative, used alongside, not instead of exactly. So pulling it all together, what's the take-home message for someone navigating cancer treatment right now?

SPEAKER_01:

I'd say O3T potentially offers this dual advantage. It might help make conventional treatments work better by tackling things like hypoxia and boosting the immune response. And at the same time, it could improve the patient's quality of life by reducing some of those harsh side effects. It's about optimizing the body's own systems while the primary treatments do their job.

SPEAKER_00:

And that final provocative thought we like to leave you with, it goes back to that regulatory effect you mentioned. The idea that ozone therapy seems to work most effectively where the problem is worst improving oxygen and blood flow significantly only in the most hypoxic areas. That suggests a really targeted, almost intelligent physiological response, doesn't it? Something that definitely warrants more investigation in future trials.

SPEAKER_01:

It really does. And if you or someone you know is looking for that kind of comprehensive, science-informed, integrative support in oncology, care that really looks beyond just the standard options. We definitely encourage reaching out to Dr. Kumar and his team at lifewellmd.com. They specialize in weaving these advanced therapies into a cohesive plan. You can start that conversation about your wellness journey by giving them a call at 561 210 9999.

SPEAKER_00:

That number again is 561 210 9999. Thanks for diving deep with us today. Keep exploring, stay informed, and stay curious.