British boxing champion David Haye’s ‘ice pack’ could turn off chemo nerve pain

An ‘ice machine’ used by athletes to speed recovery from injuries could be introduced in the NHS to tackle one of chemotherapy’s worst side effects.

The Hilotherapy device, used by former British boxing champion David Haye to treat bruising and swelling on his face after a fight, works in a similar way to an ice pack, constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the affected area. When used during chemotherapy, the easily controllable cooling reduces the risk of nerve pain – so-called peripheral neuropathy – being triggered by the strong medication.

The condition affects up to 85 percent of chemotherapy patients and causes painful tingling, numbness, and shooting pains in the hands and feet. It often continues after treatment is stopped and can last for several years in some cases.

However, studies show that Hilotherapy, developed by the German company Hilotherm, can reduce the risk of side effects by up to 90 percent.

An ‘ice machine’ used by athletes to speed recovery from injuries could be introduced in the NHS to tackle one of chemotherapy’s worst side effects

The Hilotherapy device used by former British boxing champion David Haye to treat bruising and swelling on his face after a fight works in a similar way to an ice pack, constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the affected area (David Haye, pictured left in lawsuit against Tony Bellew in London in May 2018)

Although it is currently only available privately, it is hoped that it will soon be available on the NHS.

“Neuropathy is a debilitating side effect of chemotherapy,” says Dr. Russell Burcombe, Consulting Oncologist at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. “Given the benefits of this therapy, hopefully the NHS will soon be offering it to patients.”

About a third of Britain’s cancer patients – about 100,000 people a year – undergo chemotherapy. The drugs work by killing the rapidly dividing cancer cells, but they can also damage the healthy cells in the body. This leads to the various side effects of the treatment, including nausea, diarrhea, and hair loss.

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when chemotherapy damages nerve cells in the hands and feet, which can make walking and picking up objects difficult. Conventional pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen are ineffective.

“It can be incredibly painful,” says Dr. Burcombe. “We’re curing more cancer patients than ever before, but we’re leaving lasting side effects on many.”

Over the past decade, increasing evidence has shown that cooling areas of the body protects them from the side effects of chemotherapy because the narrowing of blood vessels reduces the amount of medication that can reach that area.

The NHS is offering protection against hair loss during some chemo treatments with a cooling cap – a special cap filled with cooling gel that reduces blood flow to the scalp.

In Hilotherapy, patients are fitted with padded gloves and boots 30 minutes before the start of chemotherapy. Then cold water is pumped through channels in it, cooling the hands and feet during each chemo session and about an hour after.

Hilotherapy will be introduced in Genesis Care private clinics this year. dr Burcombe, who also works at a Genesis Care center in Maidstone, Kent, says the data collected will have an impact on whether the NHS offers Hilotherapy.

“This is an effective treatment,” he says. “However, this means that patients are spending more time in hospital than a normal chemo patient because they have to wear the device before and after treatment and we know the resources of the NHS are stretched.

“That’s what every NHS cancer patient would wish for, so we want to see how feasible that would be.”

One patient who benefits from Hilotherapy is Bridget Schonbroich, 68, from Dusseldorf, Germany. Bridget, a doctor specializing in chronic pain, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2018 and began chemotherapy two months later.

“I was really scared of the chemotherapy,” she says. “I knew it could cause neuropathy and hair loss.”

Along with a cold hood, Bridget underwent Hilotherapy during each of her 12 chemotherapy sessions. “It was a bit cold at first, but you get used to it,” she says.

In addition, she says her symptoms of peripheral neuropathy were barely noticeable. “I had tingling in my hands for the first few weeks, but it wasn’t that bad and went away quickly,” she adds.

In the meantime she has been cured of cancer and is working as a doctor again.

Bridget says: “If I had developed bad neuropathy I’m not sure I would go back to work as you need healthy hands for this job. I am very grateful that I was able to have Hilotherapy.”