Extraoral photobiomodulation for prevention of oral and oropharyngeal mucositis in head and neck cancer patients: interim analysis of a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and efficacy of prophylactic extraoral photobiomodulation (PBM) for the prevention of oral and oropharyngeal mucositis (OM) on clinical outcomes and survival in patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOPSCC). METHODS: OOPSCC patients who received radiotherapy (RT) were prospectively randomized to two groups: prophylactic extraoral PBM and placebo. OM grade (NCI), pain (VAS), analgesia, and anti-inflammatory prescriptions were assessed weekly. Quality of life questionnaires (QoL) were performed at the first and last day of RT. Following RT, participants were evaluated quarterly for oncological outcomes follow-up. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. The first occurrence of OM was observed at week 1, for the placebo group (p = 0.014). Later, OM onset and severity was observed for the PBM group, with first occurrence at week 2 (p = 0.009). No difference in severe OM incidence was observed (p > 0.05). Lower mean pain score was noted at week 7 for the PBM group (2.1) compared to placebo group (4.5) (p = 0.009). Less analgesics (week 3; p = 0.009/week 7; p = 0.02) and anti-inflammatory prescription (week 5; p = 0.0346) were observed for the PBM group. Better QoL scores were observed for the PBM group at last day of RT (p = 0.0034). No difference in overall survival among groups was observed in 1 year of follow-up (p = 0.889). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic extraoral PBM can delay OM onset, reduce pain, and reduce analgesic and anti-inflammatory prescription requirements. Extraoral PBM was associated with better QoL. There was no evidence of PBM impact on oncological outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: TRN:RBR-4w4swx (date of registration: 01/20/2020).

COVID-19 impact on anxiety and depression in head and neck cancer patients: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the coronavirus disease 2019 has increased anxiety, depression, and distress levels in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, RT-HNC patients were surveyed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for anxiety and depression and the distress thermometer (DT) for distress. HADS scores were compared with data pre-COVID-19. Additionally, we evaluated the COVID-19 impact on daily routines, treatment, and cancer care through a questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included. The HADS mean score and estimated rates were 4.34 (±4.06)/22% for anxiety and 5.08 (±4.82)/22% for depression; in comparison, our historical control had 4.04 (±3.59)/20% for anxiety (p = .79) and 4.03 (±3.62)/17% for depression (p = .49). Mean DT score was 3.68 (±2.77). Responders were aware of COVID-19, afraid of having medical complications, believed it was life-threatening, did not miss appointments, believed their treatment was not impacted, and felt safe at the hospital amid the pandemic. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that anxiety, depression, and distress levels found in RT-HNC patients did not increase during the pandemic. Patients were afraid of being infected by COVID-19; however, they complied with their cancer treatment.

Cost-effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy for the prevention and management of cancer treatment toxicities: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To identify and summarize the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy for the prevention and treatment of cancer treatment-related toxicities. METHODS: This systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE). Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Embase were searched electronically. RESULTS: A total of 1490 studies were identified, and after a two-step review, 4 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included studies analyzed the cost-effectiveness of PBM therapy used in the context of lymphedema for breast cancer and oral mucositis (OM) induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Better outcomes were associated with PBM therapy. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio ranged from 3050.75 USD to 5592.10 USD per grade 3-4 OM case prevented. PBM therapy cost 21.47 USD per percentage point reduction in lymphedema in comparison with 80.51 USD for manual lymph drainage and physical therapy. CONCLUSION: There is limited evidence that PBM therapy is cost-effective in the prevention and treatment of specific cancer treatment-related toxicities, namely, OM and breast cancer-related lymphedema. Studies may have underreported the benefits due to a lack of a comprehensive cost evaluation. This suggests a wider acceptance of PBM therapy at cancer treatment centers, which has thus far been limited by the number of robust clinical studies that demonstrate cost-effectiveness for the prevention and treatment of toxicities.

Is photobiomodulation therapy effective in reducing pain caused by toxicities related to head and neck cancer treatment? A systematic review.

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been considered an effective method for preventing and managing certain cancer-related toxicities in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the potential effects of PBMT on pain control and analgesia resulting from these toxicities is still controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to compile available evidence of the effects of PMBT on pain control and reduced use of analgesics in HNC patients. We searched three indexed databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. The databases were reviewed up to and including December 2018. Only human clinical studies in English language were selected. Information was only available for mucositis and radiodermatitis. Fifteen out of 1112 studies met the inclusion criteria (14 for oral mucositis (OM) and 1 for radiodermatitis). From the 14 studies involving the prevention and treatment of OM, 10 had the study subjects compared to a placebo group. Of these 10 studies, all but 1 showed statistically significant difference related to pain control favoring the PBMT group. The study that compared PBMT with other treatment modality showed better results in pain control with PBMT. It appears that PBMT application frequency and potency impact on pain control. The only study involving the prevention and treatment of radiodermatitis was compared to placebo arm and showed statistically significant difference related to pain control favoring the PBMT group. Seven studies compared the need of analgesic medication between PBMT and placebo groups. Of these, five studies showed that the use of analgesic medication was significantly higher in the placebo group. The current evidence supports that PBMT is effective in pain control resulting from OM and radiodermatitis and may also reduce the need for analgesics. The evidence is not yet available of the effects of PBMT in other HNC treatment-related toxicities.

Clinical and Laboratory Profile of People Living with HIV/AIDS with Oral Kaposi Sarcoma.

The aim of this article was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory profile of people with oral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) associated with AIDS (KS-AIDS), followed-up at a public university hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, in the past 10 years. We identified patients diagnosed with KS-AIDS, presenting oral manifestation from January 2007 to December 2017. We searched, in the hospital information systems, the patient demographics, diagnostic data, treatment, image studies, and oral photographic records. Of the 39 cases of KS-AIDS identified at the institution, 14 (22.8%) presented oral lesions. There was a predominance of black men, with a mean age of 32.5 years. Most cases (85.1%) manifested signs of KS simultaneously with the diagnosis of HIV infection, with extremely low initial CD4 T cell counts (average of 52.6 cells/mm2) and visceral involvement (64.3%). The palate (32.1%) and gingiva (21.4%) were the most affected oral sites. Histologically, the tumors exhibited proliferation of spindle cells between vascular clefts and extravasated erythrocytes. Oral KS-AIDS was frequent in young black adult men, with severe immunosuppression and high viral load counting, mostly with lesions manifested in the same period of diagnosis of infection by the HIV.

Demographic, cardiological, microbiologic, and dental profiles of Brazilian patients who developed oral bacteria-related endocarditis.

OBJECTIVE: Infective endocarditis (IE) may cause devastating complications with high morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of the present study was to study the demographic, cardiological, microbiologic, and dental profiles of patients with oral bacteria-related IE. STUDY DESIGN: We present a retrospective study of patients with oral bacteria-related IE treated at Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil, between January 2009 and December 2019. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients included, 70% were male with a mean age of 45.4 years at diagnosis. The most affected sites were aortic and mitral valves, 60% in prosthetic heart valves, 34% in native valves, and 3% in pacemakers. The most common cause of valvular disease was rheumatic cardiopathy (51.9%), and the most frequent complications were valvular and perivalvular damage (26%). Streptococcus viridans was the most common species (96%), dental caries were present in 57% of the patients, 78% had tooth loss, 45% had apical periodontitis, and 77% were at high/moderate risk for periodontal disease. CONCLUSION: Oral bacteria-related IE among Brazilians was predominant in the prosthetic heart valves of young male adults previously affected by rheumatic cardiopathy. Streptococcus viridans was the main cause of IE, which was linked to patients with a poor oral health status.

Strategies for communicating oral and oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis: why talk about it?

OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to explore the paradigms of disclosing a cancer diagnosis with a focus on oral and oropharyngeal cancer and patient-related considerations. STUDY DESIGN: A search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus was conducted using the following keywords: oral cancer; mouth lesions; oncology; breaking bad news; truth disclosure; and communication skills training. English and Spanish language studies published through October 2019 were included. RESULTS: The way bad news is conveyed to patients with cancer may affect their comprehension of information, emotional distress, treatment adherence, and health outcomes. Models of communication that are focused on patients' preferences may result in better treatment outcomes. Available protocols, such as SPIKES and ABCDE, have useful recommendations for health care professionals communicating an oral cancer diagnosis. However, it is important to be attentive to the particular information needs of patients. CONCLUSIONS: When communicating a cancer diagnosis, providers should employ validated methods of information delivery and support for oncology patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the experiences and preferences of patients with oral cancer during these communications.

Peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma manifesting as a primary lesion on the lip: A rare case report.

Primary manifestations of extraganglion non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from T-cells in the oral cavity are rare and often difficult to diagnose. Herein, we describe a case of T-cell NHL with a primary lesion on the lip diagnosed with a 25-year-old woman. The patient reported the appearance of the initial lesion on the upper lip, which advanced to the hard palate and oral mucosa. Histological examination and immunohistochemistry were compatible with peripheral T-cell NHL without further specifications. The proposed treatment consisted of six cycles of multiagent chemotherapy. The patient died from complications of the disease before the third cycle of chemotherapy. Understanding the clinical signs of lymphoma is important for the early diagnosis of this disease to avoid aggressive and potentially fatal behavior.