Zanin, T., Zanin, F., Carvalhosa, A.A., Castro, P.H., Pacheco, M.T., Zanin, I.C., … Brugnera, Jr., A.  (2010). Use of 660-nm diode laser in the prevention and treatment of human oral mucositis induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 28, 233–237.

To evaluate the qualitative and quantitative effects of the 660-nm diode laser in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer being treated with chemotherapy and radiation

Seventy-two patients were divided into two groups. One group was the control, and the other group received low-level laser therapy twice weekly. Teeth were protected using a silicone tray containing neutral fluoride gel. Daily physical intraoral evaluations were performed. Patients were followed for seven weeks during radiation treatment.

• The study reported on 72 patients with head and neck cancer receiving treatment that included 1.8 gy radiation and 70 mg/m² cisplatin weekly.
• The sample had an age range of 34–80 years.
• The sample was 83% male and 17% female.

This was a single-site study conducted at the Cancer Hospital of Mato-Grasso, Cuiaba, MT, Brazil.

The study was a prospective clinical trial.

• A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure severity of oral pain.
• The Brown scale was used to evaluate incidence of oral mucositis.
• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) was used.
• Patients received daily physical intraoral exams.

• Patients in the laser group had significantly lower NCI mucositis scores throughout the study period (p < 0.001).
• Patients in the laser groups reported absence of pain during treatment, and controls reported increasing pain from weeks 1–4. Overall differences were significant (p = 0.05).

This study found that 660-nm diode laser therapy was effective in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis in patients being treated with chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck carcinoma.

• The sample size was small with fewer than 100 patients.
• The control group was not adequately described, including whether they received sham treatment.
• A risk of bias exists because the patients were not randomly assigned to groups. Addtionally, the study was not blinded.
• The report did not include a discussion of other oral care or medications used.

Low level laser therapy may be effective in the prevention of mucositis. However, this treatment is highly technical and requires special equipment and highly trained personnel.