Daruwalla, Christophi. World J Surg 2006 Dec;30(12):2112-31. Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Level 8 Lance Townsend Building, Austin Health, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084 Australia. One unique feature of tumors is the presence of hypoxic regions, which occur predominantly at the tumor center. Hypoxia has a major impact on various aspects of tumor cell function and proliferation. Hypoxic tumor cells are relatively insensitive to conventional therapy owing to cellular adaptations effected by the hypoxic microenvironment. Recent efforts have aimed to alter the hypoxic state and to reverse these adaptations to improve treatment outcome. One way to increase tumor oxygen tensions is by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. HBO therapy can influence the tumor microenvironment at several levels. It can alter tumor hypoxia, a potent stimulus that drives angiogenesis. Hyperoxia as a result of HBO also produces reactive oxygen species, which can damage tumors by inducing excessive oxidative stress. This review outlines the importance of oxygen to tumors and the mechanisms by which tumors survive under hypoxic conditions. It also presents data from both experimental and clinical studies for the effect of HBO on malignancy.
Standard treatment for glioblastomas includes radiation and chemotherapy with a drug called temozolomide (Temodar); however, glioblastomas frequently develop resistance to standard treatment and recur or progress. Glioblastomas are known to have decreased levels of oxygen compared to normal tissues. There is evidence that these lower oxygen levels in glioblastomas may contribute to their ability to resist treatment effects of radiation and chemotherapy. In this study we will look to increase the oxygen concentration within the glioblastoma by adding hyperbaric treatments (the experimental part of this study) to standard treatment with radiation and temozolomide in order to see whether increasing the oxygen concentration within the tumor increases the tumor-killing ability of standard radiation and chemotherapy. In addition, the investigators are interested to evaluate the effect of this treatment protocol on a person's quality of life and level of stress, and, therefore, the investigators will ask subjects to complete several brief questionnaires while they are on-study. More information is available at http://clinicaltrialsfeeds.org/clinical-trials/show/NCT00936052 HyperMED UPDATE - Inoperable Brain Tumor - Glioblastoma HyperMED UPDATE - Chordoma - Multiple Brain Tumors, Spinal Cord Tumour, Decompressive surgical complications Hyperbaric Oxygenation - New strategy for attacking brain tumors Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Increases Stem Cells By Eight-Fold Popular breast cancer drug can stimulate tumors: Swedish study Hyperbaric Therapy in the Treatment of Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Tumors
Cancer can affect us all - family and friends. This section is dedicated to Dr Hooper's sister (Leearne) who recently passed away from progressive adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Leearne's tribute
|