Radiotherapy after hyperbaric oxygenation in malignant gliomas.

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Radiation Oncology
• Hyperbaric Medicine

Background:

• High-grade gliomas are aggressive brain tumors with limited treatment options.
• Radiation therapy (RT) is a standard treatment, but outcomes remain poor.
• Investigating novel therapeutic combinations is crucial for improving patient survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combining hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy with radiation therapy (RT) for high-grade gliomas.
• To synthesize findings from prospective studies on HBO followed by RT in glioma patients.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of PubMed, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane databases.
• Search terms included radiotherapy, hyperbaric oxygenation, chemotherapy, glioma, and brain tumor.
• Analysis focused on prospective studies of HBO followed by RT for high-grade gliomas, extracting data on patient characteristics, treatment protocols, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Eight studies involving 227 patients (142 with grade IV, 61 with grade III gliomas) were analyzed.
• Combined HBO and RT therapy demonstrated improved outcomes, including survival rate and progression-free survival.
• Toxicity was generally manageable, with only one case of severe HBO-related complication (middle ear barotrauma).

Conclusions:

• The addition of HBO to RT is well-tolerated in patients with high-grade gliomas.
• This combined treatment approach shows potential benefit for improving patient outcomes.
• Further research may solidify HBO plus RT as a valuable therapeutic strategy for gliomas.