SPOT-LITE is a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded PhD research study being undertaken by Claudia Heggie (a Paediatric Dentist) and team. The research looks at how best to implement photobiomodulation treatment as part of standard care for children and young people during their cancer treatment.
Study of PhOTobiomodulation impLementation
for mucosITis management in childrEn
Oral mucositis and light therapy
During cancer treatment, 8 in every 10 children will develop painful mouth ulcers called oral mucositis. This can affect children’s ability to eat and drink during their cancer treatment and affects their quality-of-life during their cancer treatment. We have completed previous research to explore what this experience is like for families and have found it to have a complex negative impact on their treatment experiences.
Photobiomodulation is a red light or low-level laser therapy that can be used to prevent mucositis from occurring during cancer treatment. Photobiomodulation is recommended for children and young people at high risk of developing mucositis during their cancer treatment in international guidance.
Our Research
We completed a research survey in 2021, that found photobiomodulation to be available in only 2 of the 20 principal children’s cancer centres in the UK. One of the concerns raised by healthcare professionals in this study was whether children and young people would be happy to receive photobiomodulation treatment.
We completed a research study where we spoke to children and young people, their parents, and healthcare professionals about how they felt about photobiomodulation treatment. We found that families and healthcare professionals were enthusiastic about having a treatment available to prevent mucositis from happening and that they found photobiomodulation to be child-friendly. Healthcare professionals told us that it was sometimes difficult to find time to deliver the treatment in to busy cancer services. Families also told us that the photobiomodulation treatment was difficult to understand.
Following this research, we co-created a video resource with children and young people to explain what photobiomodulation is, and what it is like to receive it.
View our video that explains what oral mucositis is, how it may affect you and what photobiomodulation can do to help reduce the symptoms.
Involving children and young people in supportive cancer care research: the value of FDS grant funding and charitable partnerships
What affects the set up of photobiomodulation services & what do families want from these services?
What is mucositis like for children and young people and their families during cancer treatment? What is managing mucositis like for healthcare professionals?
We completed a survey research study to find out where it was being used. We also asked healthcare professionals what they felt the barriers to using photobiomodulation were.
Get involved in our research
Children and their families have been involved in all of our research in this area. We meet regularly, in a research involvement group. This is called a Patient and Parent Involvement Group (PPI) and is supported by Candlelighters Children's Cancer Charity.
Get in touch
For any questions about taking part in the
SPOT-LITE project, please contact Claudia,
the lead researcher on C.Heggie@leeds.ac.uk
or fill in this contact form