Arora, H., Pai, K.M., Maiya, A., Vidyasagar, M.S., & Rajeev, A. (2008). Efficacy of he-ne laser in the prevention and treatment of radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in oral cancer patients. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics, 105(2), 180-186, 186.e1.
To evaluate the efficacy of low level laser therapy (LLLT) for the prevention and treatment of radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with oral cancer
Patients with primary oral cancer were randomized to the laser group or a control group. All patients had oral prophylaxis before starting radiation therapy, and all had the same oral care during treatment. All patients were evaluated daily for pain severity, functional impairment, and oral mucositis. The clinical exams were performed by a single examiner. All the laser treatments were administered by one operator. The treatment consisted of use of a laser scanner for the first eight days followed by treatment to six areas on the right and left sides of the oral cavity for 25 days.
This was a single site, inpatient and outpatient study conducted at Kasturba Medical College of Manipal University in Karnataka, India.
This was a randomized controlled trial.
Pain increased gradually and was the greatest at the end of seven weeks. The laser group had a statistically significant lower level of pain than did the control group (p < 0.03). In week 3, the laser group had grade I functional impairment, while the control group progressed to grade II and III functional impairment, with one individual having grade IV impairment. Overall, the laser group had lower mucositis severity than the control group (p = 0.033).
Prophylactic laser therapy during radiation therapy can reduce the severity of mucositis, as well as the severity of functional impairment and pain.
This form of laser therapy is effective in the prevention of severe mucositis, but it is very high tech and requires special equipment and highly trained personnel.