Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 12/2008

01-12-2008 | Original Article

The use of low-energy laser (LEL) for the prevention of chemotherapy- and/or radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in cancer patients: results from two prospective studies

Authors: M. T. Genot-Klastersky, J. Klastersky, F. Awada, A. Awada, P. Crombez, M. D. Martinez, M. F. Jaivenois, M. Delmelle, G. Vogt, N. Meuleman, M. Paesmans

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 12/2008

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Low-energy laser (LEL) treatment has been suggested as an effective and safe method to prevent and/or treat oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy; however, it has not gained wide acceptance so far.

Materials and methods

We conducted two clinical trials testing the LEL technique: firstly, as a secondary prevention in patients with various solid tumors treated with chemotherapy who all developed severe mucositis after a previous identical chemotherapy and, secondly, as therapeutic intervention (compared to sham illumination in a randomized way) in patients with hematological tumors receiving intensive chemotherapy and having developed low-grade oral mucositis.

Results

We entered 26 eligible patients in the first study and 36 were randomized in the second study. The success rate was 81% (95%CI = 61–93%) when LEL was given as a preventive treatment. In the second study, in patients with existing lesions, the therapeutic success rate was 83% (95%CI = 59–96%), which was significantly different from the success rate reached in the sham-treated patients (11%; 95%CI = 1–35%); the time to development of grade 3 mucositis was also significantly shorter in the sham-treated patients (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our results strongly support the already available literature, suggesting that LEL is an effective and safe approach to prevent or treat oral mucositis resulting from cancer chemotherapy.
Literature
1.
Arun Maiya G, Sagar MS, Fernandes S (2006) Effect of low level helium–neon (He–Ne) laser therapy in the prevention and treatment of radiation induced mucositis in head and neck cancer patients. Indian J Med Res 124(4):399–402PubMed
2.
Bensadoun RJ, Ciais G (2002) Radiation- and chemotherapy-induced mucositis in oncology: results of multicenter phase III studies. J Oral Laser Applications 2:115–120
3.
Bensadoun RJ, Franquin J, Ciais G et al (1999) Low-energy He/Ne laser in the prevention of radiation-induced mucositis. A multicenter phase III randomized study in patients with head and neck cancer. Support Care Cancer 7:244–252PubMedCrossRef
4.
Cowen D, Tardieu C, Schubert M et al (1997) Low energy helium–neon laser in the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing bone-marrow transplant. Results of a double blind randomized trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 38:697–703PubMedCrossRef
5.
Elting LS, Cooksley C, Chambers M et al (2003) The burdens of cancer therapy. Clinical and economic outcomes of chemotherapy-induced mucositis. Cancer 98:1531–1539PubMedCrossRef
6.
Finch PW, Rubin JS (2006) Keratinocyte growth factor expression and activity in cancer: implications for use in patients with solid tumors. J Natl Cancer Inst 98:812–824PubMedCrossRef
7.
Genot MT, Klastersky J (2005) Low-level laser for prevention and therapy of oral mucositis induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Curr Opin Oncol 17:236–240PubMedCrossRef
8.
Peterson DE, Bones JB, Petit RG 2nd (2007) Randomized placebo-controlled trial of Saforis for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Cancer 109(2):322–331PubMedCrossRef
9.
Pourreau-Schneider N, Soudry M, Franquin JC et al (1992) Soft-laser therapy for iatrogenic muncositis in cancer patients receiving high-dose fluorouracil: a preliminary report. J Natl Cancer Inst 8:358–359CrossRef
10.
Rosen LS, Abdi E, Davis ID et al (2006) Palifermin reduces the incidence of oral mucositis in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 24:5194–5200PubMedCrossRef
11.
Schubert MM, Eduardo FP, Guthrie KA et al (2007) A phase III randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the efficacy of low level laser therapy for the prevention of oral mucositis in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation. Support Care Cancer 15(10):1145–1154PubMedCrossRef
12.
13.
Siddiqui MA, Wellington K (2005) Palifermin in myelotoxic therapy-induced oral mucositis. Drugs 65:2139–2146PubMedCrossRef
14.
Spielberger R, Stiff P, Bensinger W et al (2004) Palifermin for oral mucositis after intensive therapy for hematologic cancers. N Engl J Med 351:2590–2598PubMedCrossRef
15.
Svanberg A, Birgegard G, Ohrn K (2007) Oral cryotherapy reduces mucositis and opioid use after myeloablative therapy—a randomized controlled trial. Supportive Care Cancer 15:1155–1161CrossRef
Metadata
Title
The use of low-energy laser (LEL) for the prevention of chemotherapy- and/or radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in cancer patients: results from two prospective studies
Authors
M. T. Genot-Klastersky
J. Klastersky
F. Awada
A. Awada
P. Crombez
M. D. Martinez
M. F. Jaivenois
M. Delmelle
G. Vogt
N. Meuleman
M. Paesmans
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 12/2008
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0439-8

Other articles of this Issue 12/2008

Supportive Care in Cancer 12/2008 Go to the issue

Original Paper

A mixed-method evaluation of nurse-led community-based supportive cancer care

Review Article

Long-term use of daily subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin in cancer patients with venous thromboembolism: why hesitate any longer?

Review Article

Surgical and other invasive approaches to recurrent pleural effusion with malignant etiology

Original Article

Oral ondansetron is highly active as rescue antiemetic treatment for moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: results of a randomized phase II study

Original Article

The religiousness as a way of coping with anxiety in women with breast cancer at different disease stages

Short Communication

Treatment adherence and patients’ acceptance of home infusions with adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) in palliative home care
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits