Low-level laser for prevention and therapy of oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
Oral mucositis is a common morbid condition associated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy for which there is no standard prophylaxis or treatment. There is increasing evidence that the use of low-level laser can reduced the severity of mucositis associated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The purpose of this review is to examine the available evidence for it.


RESULTS
For most approaches commonly used to prevent or treat chemotherapy-associated or radiotherapy-associated oral mucositis, a recent panel of experts could not find sufficient levels of evidence to recommend or suggest their use. As for low-level laser therapy, the results are difficult to assess and compare because of interoperator variability and because clinical trials are difficult to conduct in that field. Nevertheless, there is accumulating evidence in support of low-level laser therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of literature data, it is reasonable to conclude that the evidence that low-level laser therapy may be useful in decreasing the severity of chemotherapy-associated or radiotherapy-associated mucositis is substantial, even though there have been few controlled studies in the field of prevention.
Genot
Marie-Thérèse
MT
Laboratoire d'Investigation Clinique H.J. Tagnon, Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium.
Klastersky
Jean
J
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000639:trends; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning