title: Photobiomodulation therapy: management of mucosal necrosis of the oropharynx in previously treated head and neck cancer patients.
abstract: Necrosis of the oral mucosa following head and neck cancer radiation therapy presents considerable clinical management challenges. We report three cases of symptomatic persisting oral ulcerations where the addition of photobiomodulation therapy resulted in a rapid resolution of the oral lesions and in patient symptoms. These cases suggest that photobiomodulation may represent an adjunct to care of these difficult to manage complications in oncology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8635 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA, USA. joel.epstein@cshs.org.
authors.forename: Joel B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8635 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Paul Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8635 West Third Street, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Allen S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, Center for Advanced Head & Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larian
authors.affiliation: Cancer Survivorship and Rehabilitation, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Health Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asher
authors.affiliation: Institut Nicois de Cancerolgie et d'Imagerie (INCI_ Centre de Haute Energie (CHE)), Nice, France.
authors.forename: Rene-Jean
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bensadoun
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009336:Necrosis; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
keywords: Low level laser therapy; Mucosal wound healing; Photobiomoduation; Post-radiation mucosal necrosis