PHOTOBIOMODULATION USED IN CANCER TREATMENT TOXICITIES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED SAFE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Objective: To analyze tumor safety and side effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for the prevention and management of cancer-related toxicities. Study design: Electronic and hand searches of scientific studies that evaluated the effect of PBMT in patients with cancer were conducted in Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus. Results: In total, 1350 studies were identified through the search strategies. After exclusion of duplicated articles and articles which did not match the inclusion criteria, a total of 27 articles were selected for the systematic review. Selected studies included the use of PBMT for prevention and treatment of oral mucositis, lymphedema, radiodermatitis, and peripheral neuropathy. Studies showed that no side effects were observed with the use of PBMT, but only 4 studies were based on long-term follow-up time. Conclusion: PBMT seems to be a safe strategy to prevent and manage oral mucositis, lymphedema, radiodermatitis, and peripheral neuropathy in populations with cancer.