Revolutionizing LEDs : Bringing Relief In Cancer Clinical Trials

Revolutionizing LEDs : Bringing Relief In Cancer Clinical Trials

Light emitting diodes that were earlier associated as only an electronic light source, today has become a part of a noble cause – to help cure a person of cancer. This might sound a little abhorrent, but the truth is that the professors of neurology, pediatrics and hyper baric medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin are convinced, that using LEDs can improve a bone-marrow transplant patient's quality of life, after conducting several successful human trials.

This light emitting diode, an indispensable part of the optics and optical components, ensures a painless and secure process wherein an array of light helps ease or prevent some of the pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment. This clinical trial is presently in its second part. As the first part was very encouraging, the doctors could not resist themselves from indulging in the expansion of these trials to several U.S. and foreign hospitals.

The scientists as well as the researchers are of the opine that the cells exposed to near infrared light from LEDs, grow 150 to 200 percent faster than cells not stimulated by such light. Thus, the healing process speeds up as the light arrays increase energy inside these cells. It came to notice that in the first trial, the use of LEDs showed a significant relief to pediatric bone-marrow transplant patients suffering the ravages of oral mucositis. Thus, LEDs were found to be effective in overcoming the common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. It was also found to be effective in the reduction of the mucositis problem which is very painful.

The treatment device that is creating this magic is the 3-by-5-inch portable, flat array of light-emitting diodes that is held on the outside of the patients cheek. However, a foil is placed between the flesh and the LED array to avoid any kind of sham treatment. This clinical trial will go on for about three more years to complete with a total of 80 patients.

After comparing the result of the first trial it was found that the percentage of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis to historical epidemiological controls were just 53 percent of the treated patients in the bone- marrow transplant group developed mucositis, considerably less than the usual rate of 70-90 percent. The researchers are still awaiting the the approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, before the device can be made available for widespread use.

These Leds have proven to be of utmost importance in hundreds of applications. Among the optics and optical market, these light emitting diodes are also known to be beneficial in providing lights for plants that are grown on the Space Station as part of commercial experiments sponsored by NASA industry.