Photobiomodulation on Neuropathic Pain and Sensation Post-mastectomy

September 2, 2025 updated by: Kim Dao, Tufts University

Effects of Photobiomodulation on Neuropathic Pain and Sensation Post-mastectomy: a

The goal of this case study is to examine the effects of Photobiomodulation (PBM) on neuropathic pain and sensation post-mastectomy in one female participant. Neuropathic pain and somatosensation will be primary measures, along with strength, range of motion testing, and measures of quality of life in response to exposure to PBM for 6 weeks.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Withdrawn

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The goal of this case study is to examine the effects of Photobiomodulation (PBM) on neuropathic pain and sensation post-mastectomy in one female participant.

The main question[s] it aims to answer are:

  • Will there be a difference in subjective neuropathic pain reported after application of PBM using red and near-infrared wavelengths?
  • If a difference in symptoms is discovered, how many sessions were administered before such difference was noted?
  • Will there be an observed difference in sensation assessment after application of PBM using red and near-infrared wavelengths?
  • Will there be an observed difference on upper extremity mobility following application of PBM using red and near-infrared wavelengths?
  • Will there be a subjective difference in quality-of-life following application of PBM using red and near-infrared wavelengths?

Participants will be asked to participate in:

  1. Initial sensation, range of motion, strength, pain, and quality of life assessments.
  2. Observation and demonstration of the PBM application with a study investigator present.
  3. Application of the PBM device to both sides of the chest over the breast tissue for a total of 30 seconds 3 times a week for 6 weeks in the participant's home environment without a study investigator present.
  4. Documentation of pain and skin observation/sensation after each treatment session.
  5. Follow-up assessments of sensation, range of motion, strength, pain, and quality of life at the end of week 6 after all PBM treatments have been conducted.
  6. Weekly monitoring of pain, and skin observation/sensation during weeks 7-10 in the absence of treatment intervention.
  7. Follow-up telephone calls by a study investigator during weeks 7-10.

Researchers will compare pre and post assessment results of sensation, pain, range of motion, strength, and quality of life for any changes as a result of the PBM therapy.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Austin, Texas, United States, 78702
        • University of St Augustine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female
  • Status-post mastectomy due to clinical diagnosis of breast cancer
  • Physician approval for participation in study
  • Independent with all mobility
  • Independent with cognitive decision-making

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active Malignancy
  • Active Infection

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: PBM Intervention
Application of commercially-available PBM over the skin of first the right breast and chest tissue and then the left breast and chest tissue, each for 30 seconds in single application. This intervention is to applied once per day, for a total of three times per week, with a minimum of 24 hours between each application.
Device: PBM light therapy
The PBM machine consists of a dual light emitting diode (LED) cluster array with 105 light diodes within the 660 nanometer (nm) red light wavelength and the 850 nm near-infrared light wavelength. These wavelengths are both within the ranges noted in previous literature for neuropathic pain (1) and are within the World Association for Photobiomodulation (Laser) Therapy (WALT) guidelines for PBM therapy (2). Dosage will be determined according to the following equation: Laser output Power (Watts) x Time (seconds) divided by Beam Area (cm2)= J/cm2 (1). The PBM unit generates energy equal to 115 mW/cm2 with a surface area of 54.6 cm x 17 cm. Thus, for a target power output of 3.45 J, the participant will have a continuous irradiation duration of 30 seconds for each application (1). The participant will be asked to utilize the PBM device on breast tissue post-mastectomy for 30 seconds 3 times per week with at least 24 hours between each session. The duration of treatment will be 6 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale for Pain
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Pain rating on a 0 to 10 scale
Up to 10 weeks
Cutaneous Testing using protocol by Cruccu and Truini. (Cruccu G, Truini A. A review of Neuropathic Pain: From Guidelines to Clinical Practice. Pain Ther. 2017;6(Suppl 1):35-42. doi:10.1007/s40122-017-0087-0)
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Tactile sensation of light touch (Aβ nerve fibers) will be assessed using a cotton ball, pinprick sensation (Aδ nerve fibers) using a wooden cocktail stick, thermal sensation (Aδ and C nerve fibers) using warm and cold objects, and vibration (Aβ nerve fibers) using a tuning fork.
Up to 10 weeks
Semmes Weinstein Monofilament Testing
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Light touch sensation assessment using monofilaments of different diameters
Up to 10 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Quick Dash Outcome Measure
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Self-rating outcome measure consisting of activity-based and mobility questions using the upper extremity.
Up to 10 weeks
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System (PROMIS) 29 + 2 Profile Measure Profile v2.1
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Self-rating outcome measure consisting of activity and emotional-based questions pertaining to participation and quality of life in the presence of neuropathic pain.
Up to 10 weeks
Range of motion assessment
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Use of a standard goniometer to measure standard ranges of motion of the upper extremities into shoulder flexion, abduction, internal rotation, and external rotation.
Up to 10 weeks
Strength testing (manual muscle testing and dynamometry)
Time Frame: Up to 10 weeks
Manual muscle testing will consist of manual resistance applied according to a standardized protocol to assess strength of the upper extremities. Dynamometry will be used simultaneously for a numerical/objective representation of strength
Up to 10 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Tufts University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kim D Dao, DPT, Tufts University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 14, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 21, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 8, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 9, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Tufts U

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All individual participant data, including that from subjective and objective assessment measures, will be stored without identifying information, in a shared password-protected drive shared only with the primary and co-investigators as named on this study.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Data will be available to the research team up until 6 months after publication.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Any future studies that wish to mimic the study protocol for research purposes.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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