The use of low-energy laser (LEL) for the prevention of chemotherapy- and/or radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in cancer patients: results from two prospective studies

Background Low-energy laser (LEL) treatment has been suggested as an effective and safe method to prevent and/or treat oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy; however, it has not gained wide acceptance so far. Materials and methods We conducted two clinical trials testing the LEL...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2008-12, Vol.16 (12), p.1381-1387
Main Authors: Genot-Klastersky, M. T., Klastersky, J., Awada, F., Awada, A., Crombez, P., Martinez, M. D., Jaivenois, M. F., Delmelle, M., Vogt, G., Meuleman, N., Paesmans, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects
Cancer
Chemotherapy
Female
Humans
Low-Level Light Therapy
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Nursing
Nursing Research
Oncology
Original Article
Pain Medicine
Prospective Studies
Radiation therapy
Radiotherapy - adverse effects
Rehabilitation Medicine
Secondary Prevention
Stomatitis - etiology
Stomatitis - prevention & control
Stomatitis - radiotherapy
Young Adult
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Summary:Background Low-energy laser (LEL) treatment has been suggested as an effective and safe method to prevent and/or treat oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy; however, it has not gained wide acceptance so far. Materials and methods We conducted two clinical trials testing the LEL technique: firstly, as a secondary prevention in patients with various solid tumors treated with chemotherapy who all developed severe mucositis after a previous identical chemotherapy and, secondly, as therapeutic intervention (compared to sham illumination in a randomized way) in patients with hematological tumors receiving intensive chemotherapy and having developed low-grade oral mucositis. Results We entered 26 eligible patients in the first study and 36 were randomized in the second study. The success rate was 81% (95%CI = 61–93%) when LEL was given as a preventive treatment. In the second study, in patients with existing lesions, the therapeutic success rate was 83% (95%CI = 59–96%), which was significantly different from the success rate reached in the sham-treated patients (11%; 95%CI = 1–35%); the time to development of grade 3 mucositis was also significantly shorter in the sham-treated patients ( p  
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-008-0439-8