Simultaneous hyperbaric oxygen therapy during systemic chemotherapy reverses chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by inhibiting TLR4 and TRPV1 activation in the central and peripheral nervous system.

What Researchers Did

Researchers investigated the effects of simultaneous hyperbaric oxygen therapy (SHBOT) during paclitaxel chemotherapy on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in a rat model.

What They Found

In 24 rats, simultaneous HBOT during paclitaxel chemotherapy significantly alleviated CIPN symptoms and inhibited their deterioration in mechanical and thermal behavior tests. Immunofluorescence staining showed that SHBOT early and significantly downregulated upregulated TLR4, TRPV1, and microglial activation in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglions of treated rats.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or patients.

Study Limitations

A significant limitation of this study is that its findings are based on a rat model, meaning direct applicability to human patients is not yet established.