PBM and Cancer - What is the Truth?

Results: Although there are a few articles suggesting that PBM therapy can be detrimental in animal models of tumors, there are also many articles that suggest the opposite and that light can directly damage the tumor, can potentiate other cancer therapies, and can stimulate the host immune system. Moreover, there are two clinical trials showing increased survival in cancer patients who received PBM therapy. 

Conclusions: PBM therapy may have benefits in cancer patients and should be further investigated.

Read the full article here.

PBM? Do you have any scientific references for your claims?

Not too seldom, non-believers in PBM will ask for references, having difficulties in accepting what you say. Providing such references can take time and you may not be too used to collect them or to know where to find them. Below, then, is a brief selection of recent studies. 

Here are the studies.

Photobiomodulation: Regeneration without risk; Light-enabled tissue repair

The noninvasive application of light to regrow teeth—and potentially to recover the functionality of damaged organs—is an appealing alternative to current options. Misunderstandings currently gating such treatments in no way diminish their potential.

Affecting biological change by safely exposing endogenous compounds to light is exciting for many reasons. Not only has research demonstrated the effectiveness for such noninvasive therapies, but the approaches are also low cost, thereby promising to allow treatment for individuals across the globe who traditionally have not had access to healthcare technologies.

Often called low-level light therapy (LLLT), photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is a non-thermal process that uses non-ionizing light sources (either the coherent light of lasers or the non-coherent energy of LEDs) to trigger redox biology-chemical reactions in which the oxidation state of atoms is changed, normally through the transfer of electrons between chemical species.

PBM is being applied and investigated for a wide range of applications, including the harnessing of stem cells for tissue regeneration. Regulatory proteins called growth factors can trigger stem cells (which occur naturally in the adult body) to differentiate into a range of functional cell types. The standard method of boosting stem cell proliferation is a multi-step process that involves extracting tissue, isolating stem cells and processing them in a lab, and then returning them to the body. Recent research shows, however, that noninvasive application of light can boost the natural growth of an individual's own stem cells to enable exciting new treatments.¹

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE.

The effect of photobiomodulation on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial

Abstract:

Background. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of cancer therapy with few efficacious treatments.
Methods. We enrolled 70 patients with CIPN in a randomized, double-blinded, sham-controlled, cross-over trial to determine if photobiomodulation (PBM) ± physiotherapy reduced the symptoms of neuropathy compared to sham treatment. At the conclusion of follow-up, sham-arm patients could cross-over into a third arm combining PBM and physiotherapy to determine if multimodal treatment had additive effects. Treatment included 30 minute sessions 3-times weekly for 6 weeks using either PBM or sham therapy. Neuropathy was assessed using the modified total neuropathy score (mTNS) at initiation and 4, 8, and 16 weeks after initiating treatment.
Results. Sham-treated patients experienced no significant change in mTNS scores at any point during the primary analysis. PBM patients experienced significant reduction inmTNS scores at all time points.Mean changes in mTNS score (and corresponding percent drop from baseline) for sham and PBM-group patients respectively were −0.1 (−0.7%) and −4.2 (−32.4%) at 4 weeks (p b 0.001), 0.2 (0.0%) and −6.8 (−52.6%) at 8 weeks (p b 0.001), and 0.0 (0.1%) and −5.0 (−38.8%) at 16 weeks (p b 0.001). Patients who crossed over into the PBM/PT-group experienced similar results to those treated primarily; changes in mTNS score from baseline were −5.5 (−40.6%) 4 weeks (p b 0.001), −6.9 (−50.9%) at 8 weeks (p b 0.001), and −4.9 (−35.9%) at
16 weeks (p b 0.001). The addition of physiotherapy did not improve outcomes over PBM alone.
 

Conclusion and relevance. Among patients with CIPN, PBM produced significant reduction in neuropathy symptoms.

The photobiomodulation in this study was delivered using a K-1200 class 4 therapy laser from K-Laser USA.

The full study can be accessed through Gynecologic Oncology online.

The Therapeutic Effects of Red and Near-Infrared Light

Excellent blog by Vladimir Heiskanen.

1. Introduction

I have previously written about the vast research showing that irradiation by red light or near-infrared appears to have health benefits. Thousands of research articles showing these benefits have been published.

In the scientific literature, this treatment with red light or near-infrared is called either photobiomodulation (PBM) or low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT). I will be using the term photobiomodulation.

In photobiomodulation, the affected tissue is irradiated by light, usually from a laser or LED source. This irradiation appears to improve the function of the malfunctioning tissue.

Read the full post here.