Emma Rafferty, an expert in delivering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), reviews the science and use of the therapy in cancer care.

Emma Rafferty is a skilled and experienced Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy practitioner who initially recognised the significant benefits her own son gained from the therapy, when living with cancer. She went on to become a specialist in the field and to establish herself as a practitioner. The therapy has a far longer history than one might imagine, but in recent decades the increase in the scientific understanding of its effects has driven a move from being practically outlawed save for helping divers and MS sufferers, to gaining increasing status as a safe and effective way to support cancer treatment. This, combined with the development of low-cost equipment, has has led to its wide adoption as a health-promoting therapy. While this has meant greater accessibility for the wider public, it has also created other issues around the quality of service.

• Emma Rafferty