Prevention of pain and oral mucositis in patients undergoing chemotherapy through the use of a high-energy light source: A randomized clinical study.

Purpose This study aimed to clinically evaluate the high-energy light-emitting device (Germinator) in preventing pain and oral mucositis in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods Sixty patients were selected, being randomly divided into two groups(n = 30), according to preventive protocol: G1(Lasertherapy)-conventional low-intensity red laser protocol; G2(Germinator)-protocol with high-energy light-emitting device. Before and after these protocols, the pain and oral mucositis degrees were recorded by visual analog scale(VAS) for pain and World Health Organization(WHO) classification for oral mucositis. The VAS was used to assess pain symptoms, where 0 represented the absence of pain and 10 the highest pain score. The oral mucositis scoring was performed according to the WHO classification: grade 0(none), grade I(oral soreness, erythema), grade II(oral erythema, ulcers, solid and liquid diet tolerated), grade III(oral ulcers, liquid diet only), and grade IV(oral alimentation impossible). Statistical analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U test(α = 5%), in order to provide the intergroup comparison. Results The median (interquartile range-IQR) of pain score was 0.0(0.0-2.0) for G1 group(Lasertherapy), whereas it was 0.0(0.0-2.0) for G2 group(Germinator), revealing no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). The median(minimum and maximum value) of the oral mucositis score was 0.0(0.0-1.0) for G1 group(Lasertherapy), whereas it was 0.0(0.0-1.0) for G2 group(Germinator), also revealing no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). Both treatments proved equally effective in preventing and controlling these symptoms in patients undergoing chemotherapy, recognizing that no statistically significant difference was found between the two preventive modalities. Conclusions The high-energy light-emitting device(Germinator) appears promising in preventing pain and oral mucositis in patients undergoing chemotherapy.