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Photobiomodulation reduces the impact of radiotherapy on oral health-related quality of life due to mucositis-related symptoms in head and neck cancer patients

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Abstract

To assess the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy (RT), using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and the Patient-Reported Oral Mucositis (OM) Symptoms Scale (PROMS), and to correlate OM degree with the PROMS and OHIP-14 scores. Forty-eight patients undergoing RT for head and neck cancer were randomly assigned into two groups: PBMT group (n = 25)—daily PBMT associated with a preventive oral care program (POCP); and control group (n = 23)—receiving POCP exclusively. OHRQoL was assessed using the PROMS and OHIP-14 questionnaires. OM degrees were classified according to the World Health Organization and the National Cancer Institute scales. Assessments were performed at the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 30th RT sessions. PBMT was effective in preventing and treating severe OM. Both groups showed increased OHRQoL impacts throughout the RT sessions; however, higher impacts were observed in the control group, mainly at the final stage of treatment (21st and 30th RT sessions). Significant correlations were found between the severity of OM and PROMS scores in the total sample and the control group at all RT periods. PROMS and OM scores were positive correlated at 14th, 21st, and 30th RT sessions in the control group, suggesting that this instrument is useful in classifying OM. PBMT was effective in treating and preventing severe OM and OM-related symptoms, and with consequent positive impacts in OHRQoL in head and neck patients undergoing RT. The PROMS scale was helpful instrument for assessment of the severity of OM. Brazilian Clinical Trials database (ReBEC - RBR-5h4y4n), registered in Aug, 24th 2017

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Funding

We thank the Foundation for Research Support in the State of Goiás—FAPEG/Ministry of Health of Brazil/ Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development—CNPq (201710267001233), and CNPq grant (307906-7) for funding this study. This funding source did not have any role during its execution, analyses, interpretation of the data, or decision to submit results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Patologia Oral, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Avenida Universitária Esquina com 1ª Avenida, s/n, Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás, 74605-220, Brazil

    Allisson Filipe Lopes Martins, Sebastião Silvério de Sousa-Neto, Ana Paula Gonçalves de Jesus, Aline Carvalho Batista & Elismauro Francisco Mendonça

  2. Hospital de Câncer Araújo Jorge, R. 239, 206 - Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás, 74175-120, Brazil

    Marília Oliveira Morais

  3. Departamento de Prevenção e Reabilitação Oral da Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Avenida Universitária Esquina com 1ª Avenida, s/n, Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás, CEP 74605-220, Brazil

    Tulio Eduardo Nogueira & Cláudio Rodrigues Leles

  4. Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia Celuular, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, 5ª Avenida Esquina com Rua 240, s/n, Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás, 74605-170, Brazil

    Marize Campos Valadares

  5. Departamento de Radioterapia, Hospital de Câncer Araújo Jorge, R. 239, 206–Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás, 74175-120, Brazil

    Nilceana Maya Aires Freitas

Authors
  1. Allisson Filipe Lopes Martins
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  2. Marília Oliveira Morais
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  5. Tulio Eduardo Nogueira
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  6. Marize Campos Valadares
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  7. Nilceana Maya Aires Freitas
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  8. Aline Carvalho Batista
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  9. Cláudio Rodrigues Leles
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  10. Elismauro Francisco Mendonça
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Allisson Filipe Lopes Martins, Marília Oliveira Morais, Sebastião Silvério de Sousa-Neto, Túlio Eduardo Nogueira, and Ana Paula Gonçalves de Jesus. The methods of the study were design by Allisson Filipe Lopes Martins, Marize Campos Valadares, Nilcena Maya Aires Freitas, Aline Carvalho Batista, Cláudio Rodrigues Leles, and Elismauro Francisco de Mendonça. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Allisson Filipe Lopes Martins and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elismauro Francisco Mendonça.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This research was approved by the Ethics Research Committee of Universidade Federal de Goiás (Protocol 2.053.687/2017) and Araujo Jorge Cancer Hospital (Protocol 2.131.323/2017).

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Martins, A.F.L., Morais, M.O., de Sousa-Neto, S.S. et al. Photobiomodulation reduces the impact of radiotherapy on oral health-related quality of life due to mucositis-related symptoms in head and neck cancer patients. Lasers Med Sci 36, 903–912 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-020-03167-z

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