A prospective study on malnutrition and quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer

Predictors of weight loss during radiotherapy in patients with stage I or II head and neck cancer

“…6,8,19 Several studies suggest that global health status, diet, and quality of life can influence the ability of cancer patients to maintain adequate nutritional intake during their cancer treatments. 14,[20][21][22][23] To prevent therapy-associated weight loss and interruptions of RT, clinical guidelines recommend the use of intensive dietary counseling and oral nutritional supplements. 24 The modalities of nutritional support in HN cancer patients are still debated with regard to both the enteral feeding methods and what the supplemental formula should contain.…”

Optimising nutrition support in patients with head and neck cancer

“…The current evidence indicates that weight loss is a recurring problem, despite advancing radiotherapy techniques, which supports the ongoing essential need for nutrition intervention. Maintaining and improving nutritional status has been shown to improve quality of life (Langius et al, 2013a;van den Berg et al, 2008) and other clinical outcomes (Capuano et al, 2008). Capelle et al (2012) reported a median loss of 6% of pre radiotherapy weight (with a maximum weight loss of 13.6%) in a small case series (n=20) of patients receiving definitive or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (Capelle et al, 2012).…”

“…-reduced immune function, increased risk of infection, and impaired wound healing (Linn, Robinson, & Klimas, 1988a;Matthews, Lampe, & Dragosz, 1995;van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren et al, 1998) -increased admissions, complications, treatment interruptions and length of stay (Capuano et al, 2008;Goodwin & Torres, 1984;Guo, Ma, & Zhang, 1994;Guo, Ma, Zhang, & Hu, 2007;Guo, Zhang, Ma, Zhang, & Huang, 1996;Linn & Robinson, 1988b;Linn et al, 1988a;Matthews et al, 1995;Ravasco, Monteiro-Grillo, Vidal, & Camilo, 2004;Shirodkar & Mohandas, 2005;van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren et al, 1997) -reduced quality of life (QOL), functioning and increased fatigue (Capuano et al, 2010;Jager-Wittenaar et al, 2011a;Langius et al, 2013a;Ravasco et al, 2004;van den Berg, Rasmussen-Conrad, van Nispen, van Binsbergen, & Merkx, 2008) -increased risk of recurrence and reduced survival (Brookes, 1985;Capuano et al, 2008;Goodwin & Torres, 1984;Kubrak et al, 2010;Mick, Vokes, Weichselbaum, & Panje, 1991;Platek et al, 2010;van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren et al, 2000) Only two studies found that malnutrition at baseline had no impact on survival outcomes (Matthews et al, 1995;van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren, 1999). More recent studies have demonstrated the detrimental impact of weight loss on survival outcomes.…”

“…Weight loss remains prevalent, despite advances in treatment techniques , and therefore nutrition support is essential to assist with maintaining nutritional status which has been shown to improve quality of life (Langius et al, 2013a;van den Berg et al, 2008) and other clinical outcomes (Capuano et al, 2008). The protocol for proactive gastrostomy placement hence remains just as relevant for advanced techniques of radiation treatment delivery.…”

“…Malnutrition is common post-treatment (Jager-Wittenaar, et al, 2011a;Silander et al, 2012;van den Berg et al, 2008), and poor nutrition indicators such as low BMI and pre-treatment weight loss have also been associated with gastrostomy dependence (McRackan et al, 2008;Wopken et al, 2014b). This suggests that gastrostomy use can be appropriate to assist improving long term nutritional status.…”