Effects of photobiomodulation by low-power lasers and LEDs on the viability, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells.

Among the malignant tumors, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed worldwide, being the most prevalent in women. Photobiomodulation has been used for wound healing, swelling and pain reduction, and muscle repair. The application of photobiomodulation in cancer patients has been controversial. Therefore, a better understanding of radiation-induced effects involved in photobiomodulation on cancer cells is needed. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to low-power lasers and LEDs on cell viability, migration, and invasion in human breast cancer cells. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were irradiated with a low-power red laser (23, 46, and 69 J/cm, 0.77 W/cm) and blue LED (160, 321, and 482 J/cm, 5.35 W/cm), alone or in combination. Cell viability was assessed using the WST-1 assay, cell migration was evaluated using the wound healing assay, and cell invasion was performed using the Matrigel transwell assay. Viability and migration were not altered in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cultures after exposure to low-power red laser and blue LED. However, there was a decrease in cell invasion from the cultures of the two cell lines evaluated. The results suggest that photobiomodulation induced by low-power red laser and blue LED does not alter cell viability and migration but decreases cell invasion in human breast cancer cells.