{"entity":{"id":"photobiomodulation-mucositis","kind":"technology","name":"Photobiomodulation (low-level laser) for oral mucositis","aka":[],"tldr":"Shining low-power red or near-infrared light on the inside of the mouth before and during treatment prevents severe mouth ulcers in people having head and neck radiotherapy or high-dose chemotherapy for transplant. Mucositis guidelines recommend it, though few centres yet have the equipment.","summary":"Photobiomodulation delivers non-thermal red or near-infrared light (typically 630-680 nm or 780-830 nm) to oral mucosa, stimulating mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase, reducing inflammatory signalling and speeding epithelial repair. Randomised trials in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and in head and neck chemoradiation consistently show lower incidence and severity of grade 3-4 oral mucositis, less pain and fewer feeding-tube placements. The 2019 MASCC/ISOO systematic review and 2020 guidelines recommend intraoral photobiomodulation for prevention of oral mucositis in both settings, with specified device parameters. It is painless and quick but requires daily attendance and a trained operator; the theoretical concern of stimulating residual tumour has not been borne out in follow-up of irradiated patients.","status":"established","asOf":"2026-09-10","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-level_laser_therapy","links":[{"label":"MASCC/ISOO systematic review of photobiomodulation for the management of oral mucositis (Support Care Cancer 2019)","url":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-019-04890-2"},{"label":"MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for mucositis (Cancer 2020)","url":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.33100"}],"tags":["complementary","supportive-care","evidence:strong"],"related":[],"cancers":["head-and-neck","multiple-myeloma","dlbcl"],"sections":["supportive-care","radiation","devices","rejuvenation"],"technologies":["integrative-oncology","oral-cryotherapy-mucositis","imrt-igrt","dry-mouth-teeth-after-head-neck-radiotherapy","radiation-skin-recovery"],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":["mascc"],"pathways":[],"terms":["mucositis"],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":["b-toxicity-qol"],"keyPapers":["paper-elad-cancer","paper-zadik-support-care-cancer"],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":[],"principle":"Photon absorption by mitochondrial chromophores raises ATP production and modulates reactive oxygen species and NF-kB signalling, reducing inflammation and promoting healing.","strengths":["Randomised evidence in two settings","MASCC/ISOO recommendation with device parameters","Painless, no drug interactions"],"limitations":["Equipment and daily visits","Operator training","Long-term safety in tumour beds still being followed"]},"route":"/technologies/photobiomodulation-mucositis/","neighbours":{"cancer":[{"id":"dlbcl","kind":"cancer","name":"Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma","route":"/cancers/dlbcl/"},{"id":"head-and-neck","kind":"cancer","name":"Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma","route":"/cancers/head-and-neck/"},{"id":"multiple-myeloma","kind":"cancer","name":"Multiple myeloma","route":"/cancers/multiple-myeloma/"}],"section":[{"id":"devices","kind":"section","name":"Devices & Physical Therapies","route":"/fronts/devices/"},{"id":"radiation","kind":"section","name":"Radiation Therapy","route":"/fronts/radiation/"},{"id":"rejuvenation","kind":"section","name":"Recovery & Rejuvenation","route":"/fronts/rejuvenation/"},{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"}],"technology":[{"id":"dry-mouth-teeth-after-head-neck-radiotherapy","kind":"technology","name":"Dry mouth, teeth and taste after head and neck radiotherapy","route":"/technologies/dry-mouth-teeth-after-head-neck-radiotherapy/"},{"id":"integrative-oncology","kind":"technology","name":"Evidence-based integrative oncology","route":"/technologies/integrative-oncology/"},{"id":"honey-radiation-mucositis","kind":"technology","name":"Honey for radiation mucositis","route":"/technologies/honey-radiation-mucositis/"},{"id":"imrt-igrt","kind":"technology","name":"IMRT / IGRT (modern external beam)","route":"/technologies/imrt-igrt/"},{"id":"hair-photobiomodulation","kind":"technology","name":"Low-level light therapy (photobiomodulation) for hair","route":"/technologies/hair-photobiomodulation/"},{"id":"oral-cryotherapy-mucositis","kind":"technology","name":"Oral cryotherapy (ice chips) to prevent mucositis","route":"/technologies/oral-cryotherapy-mucositis/"},{"id":"radiation-skin-recovery","kind":"technology","name":"Skin during and after radiotherapy: dressings, steroids and what lasts","route":"/technologies/radiation-skin-recovery/"}],"institution":[{"id":"mascc","kind":"institution","name":"Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer","route":"/institutions/mascc/"}],"term":[{"id":"mucositis","kind":"term","name":"Mucositis and stomatitis","route":"/terms/mucositis/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-toxicity-qol","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued","route":"/bottlenecks/b-toxicity-qol/"}],"paper":[{"id":"paper-elad-cancer","kind":"paper","name":"MASCC/ISOO clinical practice guidelines for the management of mucositis secondary to cancer therapy","route":"/key-papers/paper-elad-cancer/"},{"id":"paper-zadik-support-care-cancer","kind":"paper","name":"Systematic review of photobiomodulation for the management of oral mucositis in cancer patients and clinical practice guidelines","route":"/key-papers/paper-zadik-support-care-cancer/"}],"idea":[{"id":"idea-moon-mucositis-taste-programme","kind":"idea","name":"Photobiomodulation and a taste and swallowing programme for mouth and throat toxicity","route":"/ideas/idea-moon-mucositis-taste-programme/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"devices-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Devices and physical therapies roadmap: heat and light → electric fields and focused sound → drug-releasing implants","route":"/roadmaps/devices-roadmap/"}]}}