<p>A Gallbladder Carcinoma Patient With Pseudo-Progressive Remission After Hydrogen Inhalation</p>

Abstract

BackgroundHydrogen therapy has been reported to convert exhausted programmed cell death receptor (PD-1)+CD8+ T cells to PD-1-CD8+ T cells, in advanced colorectal cancer patients, which is associated with significantly prolonged survival.Case presentationA 72-year-old female patient presented with metastatic gallbladder cancer and underwent symptomatic treatment combined with hydrogen therapy. The tumors were initially enlarged and displayed increased tumor marker expression following hydrogen inhalation therapy, after which they continued to remit, similar to the pseudo-progression that occurs after anti-PD-1 treatment. During one month of hydrogen therapy, the patient’s gallbladder and liver tumors continued to progress, and intestinal obstruction occurred. The intestinal obstruction was gradually relieved after symptomatic treatment, and the metastases in the abdominal cavity gradually decreased in size, anemia and hypoalbuminemia were corrected, and both the lymphocyte and tumor marker levels returned to normal. The patient was able to resume normal life two and a half months after hydrogen inhalation and survived over 10 months.ConclusionThis is the first report of pseudo-progression followed by sustained remission after hydrogen inhalation. This phenomenon is similar to the pseudo-progression-remission pattern that occurs following PD-1 antibody treatment. These findings suggest that hydrogen may have an inhibitory effect on PD-1 expression.

A narrative review of hydrogen oncology: from real world survey to real world evidence

“…After one month of hydrogen inhalation, the patient showed obvious pseudo-progression of the disease and quickly relieved after symptomatic treatments. 6 After 2 months of hydrogen inhalation, the patient's performance status showed significant improvement (decreased from 5 to 3). After 3 months of hydrogen inhalation, tumor markers were reduced to the normal reference range, and CT showed more than a 50% reduction in gallbladder tumors and multiple intrahepatic and hilar metastases (defined as partial response).…”

Potential Therapeutic Applications of Hydrogen in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Possible Inhibiting Role on Mitochondrial Stress

“…Up until now, more than 800 original papers regarding the medical use of H 2 , including approximately 70 clinical trials, have been reported. As observed from the production of H 2 in the intestines, adverse effects caused by H 2 has not been observed in many clinical studies [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. In recent papers, we reviewed that H 2 is promising for medical applications due to its marked efficacy and for having no adverse effects [ 47 ].…”

Molecular Hydrogen as a Potential Clinically Applicable Radioprotective Agent

“…We believe that the inhalation of H 2 is suitable for use as a radioprotective agent. In addition, H 2 has no safety issues, because no side effects have been observed in clinical trials [ 10 , 64 , 66 , 69 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 ] and from the fact that H 2 does not affect normal tissues and cells [ 78 ].…”