title: Low-level laser therapy for the prevention of low salivary flow rate after radiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether low-level laser therapy can prevent salivary hypofunction after radiotherapy and chemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 23 head and neck cancer patients, of whom 13 received laser therapy and 10 received clinical care only. An InGaAlP laser was used intra-orally (at 660 nm and 40 mW) at a mean dose of 10.0 J/cm(2) and extra-orally (at 780 nm and 15 mW) at a mean dose of 3.7 J/cm(2), three times per week, on alternate days. Stimulated and unstimulated sialometry tests were performed before the first radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions (N0) and at 30 days after the end of treatment (N30).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At N30, the mean salivary flow rates were significantly higher among the laser therapy patients than among the patients who received clinical care only, in the stimulated and unstimulated sialometry tests (p = 0.0131 and p = 0.0143, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-level laser therapy, administered concomitantly with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, appears to mitigate treatment-induced salivary hypofunction in patients with head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor at the Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas (FMU), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Aurora Stabile
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gonnelli
authors.affiliation: Masters Student in Clinical Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: PhD, Physicist in Charge of the Medical Physics Sector, Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adelmo José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.affiliation: MSc, Dental Surgeon (private practice), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Lima Silva
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Deboni
authors.affiliation: PhD, Interim Head of the Radiotherapy Sector, Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Araújo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Segreto
authors.affiliation: PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM-Unifesp), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Helena Regina Comodo
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Segreto
keywords: Câncer de cabeça e pescoço; Head and neck neoplasms/drug therapy; Lasers, semiconductor/therapeutic use; Quimioterapia; Radioterapia; Radiotherapy; Terapia a laser de baixa potência