Anti-Glioma Agents and Hyperbaric Oxygen for Prospective Therapeutic Approaches

Adjuvant treatments for IDH-wild-type adult high-grade gliomas (HGGs) are being explored to improve therapeutic efficacy. Tumor hypoxia poses a major therapeutic challenge. In this narrative review, we discuss the potential of hyperbaric oxygen to counteract hypoxia and therapeutic resistance in HGG, with particular emphasis on glioblastoma. We delineate the pros and cons of combining treatment with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) with established and experimental treatments for glioblastoma. HBO has been investigated as an adjuvant treatment alongside radiotherapy and chemotherapy, including new investigational compounds and approaches, with predominantly favorable outcomes in overall treatment efficacy. Among the numerous anticancer phytopharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals in this treatment paradigm, research on curcumin and its derivatives may lay the groundwork for promising future research directions and new chemical syntheses. The growing body of laboratory and clinical data suggests that HBO should be considered a promising component of modern oncological strategies for patients with HGG. However, further studies are needed to substantiate the effects of HBO since it has also been associated with increased tumor proliferation in some studies. Moreover, further studies are needed to substantiate the effects of HBO on tumor/immune interactions, stemness, therapy resistance, and patients’ quality of life.