TREATING ORAL MUCOSITIS WITH LLLT

Oral Mucositis (OM) is a very painful side effect of chemotherapy. Patients who have received high doses of chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with total body radiation, often cite OM as the most debilitating side effect. Prior studies have shown that LLLT can treat OM and provide significant relief and speed healing. However, no study has looked at trying to prevent OM before it begins.

The researchers studied 42 patients who underwent stem cell transplant with radiation and chemotherapy. In the LLLT group, 57.1% of patients had no pain when they received LLLT prior to treatment, whereas in the control group, only 4.8% of patients were free of pain! The results demonstrate that laser can not only heal this serious problem, it can even prevent it!  (Photomed Laser Surg. 2010 Oct 22)