The enhancing effects of hyperbaric oxygen on mouse skin carcinogenesis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Dermatology
• Hyperbaric Medicine

Background:

• Two-stage chemical carcinogenesis is a common model for studying skin cancer development.
• Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber.
• The impact of HBO on chemical carcinogenesis is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on mouse skin carcinogenesis induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA).

Main Methods:

• Six-week-old female CD-1 mice were divided into normoxia and HBO groups.
• Carcinogenesis was induced using DMBA as an initiator and TPA as a promoter.
• Tumor incidence, grade, and Ki-67 labeling index were assessed over 23 weeks.

Main Results:

• Mice exposed to HBO developed tumors earlier and exhibited a higher proportion of high-grade papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).
• Ki-67 labeling indices were significantly higher in low-grade papillomas from the HBO group (29.67%) compared to the normoxia group (15.27%).
• HBO treatment accelerated tumor cell proliferation and advanced tumor progression.

Conclusions:

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy accelerated tumor cell proliferation and advanced tumor progression in a mouse model of skin carcinogenesis.
• These findings suggest that HBO may promote skin cancer development and progression.