Healing of acute gingival lesions with photobiomodulation and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in a young patient undergoing chemotherapy: a case report with two years follow-up

Patients of all ages undergoing cancer treatment can present painful oral lesions as a result of the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Non-invasive treatments like lasers can be beneficial in improving these conditions and, in this context, the use of photobiomodulation (PBM), alone or in combination with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), can have positive effects on tissue healing, reducing pain, edema and inflammation. The objective of this case report was to describe the treatment of acute lesions in attached gingiva, using PBM alone or in association with aPDT, in a 23-year-old patient undergoing chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer. The use of PBM and aPDT showed benefits both in improving acute gingival lesions and in preventing the appearance of new lesions during chemotherapy, confirming its potential as a beneficial auxiliary therapy for the management of cancer patients. Early intervention, at the first symptoms of the lesions, and also the preventive use of laser in subsequent chemotherapy cycles may have been decisive to prevent periodontal sequelae, such as gingival recession, clinical attachment loss and bone loss and it also brought comfort and relief, by reducing pain and contributing to tissue healing. As it is a low-cost and effective therapy, its use, following described protocols, should be encouraged to improve quality of life of patients during cancer treatment involving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Key words: cancer, chemotherapy, gingival disease, photobiomodulation, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.