Low energy laser for prevention of oral mucositis in patients receiving radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy in Pernambuco Cancer Hospital

ABSTRACT

Oral mucositis induced by antineoplastic therapy causes wide-range pain and discomfort resulting in decreased quality of life. The present study evaluated the benefits of low intensity laser and 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate in the prevention of oral mucositis induced by radiation, associated or not with chemotherapy, and considered degrees/severity, time of appearanceof the lesions and functional loss. Eighty-four outpatients were considered and 49 were included in this study and dividedinto two groups Group 1 received laser treatments in three stages, starting three days before treatment until the end of therapy. Group 2 was instructed to do daily mouth rinses with chlorhexidine gluconate. The prevalence of clinical mucositis was 49%, and of functional mucositis, 28.6%, when the two groups were considered together. This percentage was smaller in the laser group, 44% for the clinical mucositis group and 24% for the functional. The two protocols were well tolerated andshowed benefits, mainly from the point of view of functionality, and delayed the onset and development of mucositis.