Managing severe oral mucositis using a novel combination of photobiomodulation therapy and pilocarpine

Abstract

Combined treatment of photobiomodulation therapy and pilocarpine hydrochloride (Salagen) helped a patient suffering from severe oral mucositis and malnutrition resulting from radiochemotherapy for head and neck cancers. This treatment sped up the patient’s healing process and improved his quality of life by stimulating cells and increasing saliva secretion. The severity of oral mucositis was measured according to the World Health Organization (WHO) scale and the oral mucositis assessment scale. This case report highlighted a new combination treatment that may be the key to successfully managing severe oral mucositis during radiochemotherapy without the need to stop or modify cancer therapy.

Keywords

• head and neck neoplasms
• chemoradiotherapy
• low-level laser
• salagen
• oral mucositis