LED is better than LASER for Chemotherapy-induced Oral Mucositis

Objective:  Patients submitted to Chemotherapy and Head and neck radiotherapy (RT) are usually affected by the development of oral mucositis and severe pain. In the last decades, many studies in the literature address the effect of lasers in the management of oral complications of oncologic patients submitted to chemotherapy and/or RT. However, the effect of LED has not been studied neither compared with laser phototherapy (LPT). In this sense, the aim of the present study is to compare the effect of these two therapies against chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (CIOM). Method: Forty-eight patients with CIOM were divided into 2 groups: G1, patients were irradiated with a red low power laser; G2, patients were irradiated with a red LED. The treatment was done during 10 days. The LPT was done using an InGaAlP laser (660nm/40mW/6Jcm-²/0.24J per point). The LED phototherapy was done using 0.24J per point/80mW/630nm. CIOM was assessed at each session in accordance to World Health Organization. Result:  The WHO scores values were significantly smaller in the LED group (p≤0.05).  These scores diminished in both group throughout the experimental time. Significant decrease in the WHO scores occurred in 7 days for the LED group and only in 10 days for the laser group (p≤0.05). Conclusion:  These findings suggest that LED therapy is more effective than LPT on the treatment of COIM, and consequently, it got better the patient quality of life.