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.


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 < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results strongly support the already available literature, suggesting that LEL is an effective and safe approach to prevent or treat oral mucositis resulting from cancer chemotherapy.
Genot-Klastersky
M T
MT
Department of Medicine, Institut Jules Bordet, Centre des Tumeurs de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, Rue Héger-Bordet, 1, Brussels, 1000, Belgium.
Klastersky
J
J
Awada
F
F
Awada
A
A
Crombez
P
P
Martinez
M D
MD
Jaivenois
M F
MF
Delmelle
M
M
Vogt
G
G
Meuleman
N
N
Paesmans
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents