Chemotherapy Induced Oral Mucositis
The Cancer Treatment Centers of America have completed a pilot study using the Microlight ML830 Laser in order to investigate pain relief and wound healing when applied to chemotherapy induced oral mucositis. The study was a great success with 70% of patients reporting resolution of mucositis treatments within 1-4 treatments. Look for the link below the abstract to view the full study.
Abstract
Purpose: The goal of this pilot study is to investigate the capacity of pain relief and wound healing of the low level energy laser therapy (LLEL) in chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) in an adult oncology population group.
Methods: 50 patients were recruited from Southwestern Regional Medical Center, suffering from chemotherapy induced oral mucositis. OM grade was assessed using the WHO classification. All patients were treated with an 830 nm wavelength laser multiple times per week. Energy delivered (joules) was determined based on severity and number of lesions (3 joules per 33 sec cycle). Treatment time estimates ranged from 3-15 minutes. Side effects of
treatment and concomitant medications and therapies were recorded at each visit. Subjective pain was recorded immediately prior and following treatment using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Functional impairment was recorded and
all data was charted in an electronic healthcare record.
Results: After 12 months, medical records were evaluated. In many patients, pain relief was noted immediately after receiving treatment. LLEL contributed to healing of mucositis lesion, with the number and duration of treatments corresponding to the severity of the lesions.
Conclusion: Low level energy laser is an exciting new tool that significantly improves quality of life for many cancer patients. It is beneficial in treating chemotherapy induced oral mucositis and was shown to provide immediate pain relief for some patients. No side effects were noted with LLEL therapy. This is a therapy that should be made available to oncology patients experiencing mucositis. More research needs to be done in understanding how LLEL may affect cancerous lesions.
Click Here for the Full Study on Oral Mucositis Treatment with Laser Therapy
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