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

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