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Impact of photobiomodulation for oral mucositis on body weight and BMI of patients with head and neck cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of photobiomodulation for oral mucositis on body weight and body mass index (BMI) in head and neck cancer patients.

Methods

Patients were separated into two groups: photobiomodulation (PBM) (n = 17) and SHAM (n = 19). Participants assigned to the PBM group received the photobiomodulation therapy on alternate days at 33 different sites of the oral mucosa (1 J for 10 s per application point) using a low-power aluminum gallium arsenide (AsGaAl) laser device with a maximum output power of 86.7 mW and a wavelength of 660 nm (red). The same protocol was performed in patients allocated in the SHAM group but with the device turned off. At the first and twenty-fourth radiotherapy sessions, participants from both groups underwent an intraoral examination to assess the presence or absence of mucositis using the WHO scale, and measurements of weight and height for BMI calculation were undertaken.

Results

All patients had significant differences in weight and BMI throughout the study period. Patients in the PBM group lost less weight (p < 0.01) and had a reduced BMI loss (p < 0.01) in comparison to patients in the SHAM group. Although PBM did not prevent oral mucositis, it decreased its severity (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Photobiomodulation for oral mucositis reduced weight loss and prevented a reduction in BMI in patients who underwent chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Retrospectively registered at https://data.mendeley.com//datasets/4kd7s49wk4/1.

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Data Availability

https://data.mendeley.com//datasets/4kd7s49wk4/1, reference [https://doi.org/10.176332/4kd7s49wk4.1].

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the Sister Dulce Social Works (OSID).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interactive Processes of Organs and Systems Post Graduation Program, Institute of Health Sciences, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

    Juliana Borges de Lima Dantas & Gabriela Botelho Martins

  2. Adventist College of Bahia, Cachoeira, Brazil

    Juliana Borges de Lima Dantas

  3. Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Juliana Borges de Lima Dantas & Alena Ribeiro Alves Peixoto Medrado

  4. Health Sciences Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

    Alena Ribeiro Alves Peixoto Medrado & Gabriela Botelho Martins

  5. Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Southern Bahia, Teixeira de Freitas, Bahia, Brazil

    Hayana Ramos Lima

  6. Department of Life Sciences, State University of Bahia, Rua Silveira Martins 2555, Cabula, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Amanda de Sousa Melo, Camila Lima Andrade & Manoela Carrera

  7. Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil

    Manoela Carrera

Authors
  1. Amanda de Sousa Melo
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  2. Camila Lima Andrade
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  3. Juliana Borges de Lima Dantas
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  4. Alena Ribeiro Alves Peixoto Medrado
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  5. Gabriela Botelho Martins
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  6. Hayana Ramos Lima
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  7. Manoela Carrera
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Contributions

This is an original study, and all authors contributed to the study’s conception, design, and approved the final version of the manuscript. Amanda de Sousa Melo and Camila Lima Andrade participated in manuscript writing and the experiment’s execution. Juliana Borges de Lima Dantas, Alena Ribeiro Alves Peixoto Medrado, Gabriela Botelho Martins, and Hayana Ramos Lima collaborated in the experiment’s execution, manuscript review, English proofreading, and critical review. Manoela Carrera supervised all stages of the work and participated in the manuscript writing and review.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manoela Carrera.

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Ethics approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and conducted per the Declaration of Helsinki. CAAE: 68263317.8.0000.0047.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

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Not applicable.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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de Sousa Melo, A., Andrade, C.L., de Lima Dantas, J.B. et al. Impact of photobiomodulation for oral mucositis on body weight and BMI of patients with head and neck cancer. Support Care Cancer 30, 4897–4904 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-06899-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-06899-6

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