Table 3.

Protocol characteristics

Paper	Type brand	Laser protocol	Sessions	Control group
Fife et al. (2010) PBMT vs Sham (number of patients/whole sample)	Gentlewaves Select 590-nm high-energy LED array	2 cm distance 35 seconds Pulses 250 ms on and 100 ms off for 100 pulses	Whole duration of RT, plus seven additional daily treatments	Sham treatments, (the button was not pressed to deliver the light)
Robijns et al. (2018 SCC) PBMT vs SHAM (number of patients/whole sample)	Class IV Diode MLS.M6 laser (ASA Srl, Vicenza, Italy)	Simultaneous 905 nm pulsed mode (peak radiant power 25W, duty cycle of 50 %) and continuous mode at 808 nm (average radiant power 3.3 W, aperture diameter 5 cm, beam spot size at target 19.625 cm2, power density at target 0.168 W/ cm2). Energy density 4 J/cm2. The treatment time varied according to the to-be-treated surface area	14 sessions of PBMT (2/week), starting at the first day of RT	Sham treatments in which the laser device was switched off, but still made the same sound as an active laser
Robijns et al. (2019) TRANSDERMIS PBMT vs SHAM (number of patients/whole sample)	#	§	14 sessions of PBMT (2/week), starting at the first day of RT	*
Robijns et al (2021) LABRA PBMT vs SHAM (number of patients/whole sample)	#	§	From the first until the last day of RT (2 sessions/week, 8 sessions in total) by a trained operator
Robijns et al (2022) DERMISHEAD PBMT vs SHAM (number of patients/whole sample)	#	§	From the first until the last day of RT (2 sessions/week, 8 sessions in total) by a trained operator

PBMT Photobiomodulation, #,§,* consider the same data as the row before