Breaking the hypoxia barrier: Advances and challenges of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in cancer treatment.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing preclinical and clinical concepts without systematic review methodology
PubMed 41172962 · doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2025.118703
What was done
This narrative review evaluated preclinical and clinical literature on the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in cancer treatment. The authors examined the mechanisms by which HBOT reoxygenates the tumor microenvironment, modulates oxidative stress, ferroptosis, angiogenesis, and cancer stem cell maintenance, and assessed its potential integration with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immune checkpoint blockade.
What was found
The abstract reports narrative, qualitative concepts rather than specific numerical data. It notes that HBOT enhances drug penetration, augments radiation-induced DNA damage, reduces hypoxia-driven immunosuppression, and synergizes with immunotherapy. However, it identifies ongoing controversies regarding HBOT dose-response dynamics, long-term safety profiles, and the risk of promoting angiogenesis under specific conditions.
Why it matters
Hypoxia is a major driver of therapeutic resistance in solid tumors; summarizing how HBOT alters tumor microenvironment biology outlines potential adjunctive strategies to sensitize resistant tumors to standard-of-care therapies.
Limits
This is a narrative review presenting no original human data, quantitative synthesis, or systematic search criteria in the abstract. Clinical optimal parameters, patient selection biomarkers, and safety regarding potential tumor-promoting angiogenic effects remain undefined.