Low-level laser therapy in the supportive treatment of dermatologic adverse events in oncology

Supportive treatment plays an important role in oncology nowadays. The main aims of oncologic supportive treatment are management of cancer symptoms and adverse events of cancer treatment. In terms of dermatologic adverse events the most important types of reaction are oral mucositis during radiation therapy, chemotherapy and during hematopoetic stem cell transplantation, palmoplantar syndrome during chemotherapy, palmoplantar skin reaction, acneiform paronychia and pyogenic granulomas during targeted therapy, immune-related dermatologic adverse events during immunotherapy. During recent years, special attention has been paid to low level laser therapy for the prophylaxis and management of cancer therapy dermatologic adverse events. The effects of low level laser therapy may have a beneficial effect on many conditions that play important roles in the pathogenesis of radiation and chemotherapy-induced complications in oncologic patients. Therapeutic effects of low level laser therapy are attributed to the stimulation of adaptive processes and to the increase of nonspecific resistance. The latter develop due to the close interaction of the immune, humoral and nervous systems. When choosing a method for the supportive treatment of cancer therapy adverse events, it is extremely important to establish safety in terms of the tumor process and absence of negative effects on cancer treatment. Effects of low level laser therapy on the proliferative and invasive activity of an existing malignancy remains a matter of debate due to conflicting results from in vitro studies. At the same time, according to the results of numerous clinical studies, the use of this method is assumed to be safe for cancer patients.