# Is photobiomodulation an effective preventive strategy for oral mucositis in patients with hematologic diseases undergoing chemotherapy?: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

## TL;DR

This study reviews whether photobiomodulation can prevent mouth sores in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

## Contribution

A systematic review of randomized trials evaluating photobiomodulation for preventing oral mucositis in hematologic disease patients.

## Key findings

- Photobiomodulation reduces the frequency of oral mucositis in chemotherapy patients.
- It also decreases pain intensity and improves quality of life.
- Six studies using red wavelength showed promising preventive effects.

## Abstract

Purpose to conduct a systematic review to assess whether photobiomodulation is effective in preventing oral mucositis in patients with hematologic diseases undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Embase, Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science and LILACS databases. The strategy included selected randomized clinical trials that evaluated the prevention of oral mucositis, directly comparing the use of photobiomodulation for chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with hematologic diseases with alternative non-laser therapies. The risk of bias in the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias and the certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Results: After applying all predetermined criteria, six randomized clinical trials, dated between 1997 and 2024, were included. A total of 200 patients were evaluated, with all six studies using the red wavelength, with only one study using a combination with the infrared wavelength. It was observed that photobiomodulation can be effective in preventing oral mucositis, reducing its frequency. Furthermore, a reduction in pain intensity and an improvement in quality of life were also identified. Conclusion: The use of photobiomodulation shows promising results in preventing oral mucositis, consequently reducing the frequency and pain of patients with hematologic diseases undergoing chemotherapy.