Cancer cachexia update in head and neck cancer: Definitions and diagnostic features

Abstract

Cachexia is a profoundly debilitating wasting syndrome that affects patients with head and neck cancer and often contributes to their demise. A comprehensive literature search was performed up to April 2013 using PubMed, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and the Google search engine. For the meta-analyses, pooled prevalence estimates were calculated with a confidence interval of 95% (95% CI) by using random effects modeling. In this review, we outlined the unique challenges of cancer cachexia among patients with head and neck cancer by reviewing its impacts on quality of life (QOL), morbidity, and mortality. We explored the prevalence of different clinical markers of cachexia at the time of diagnosis and before and after treatment. Finally, we present updates regarding the diagnosis of cancer cachexia and recent findings, such as cardiac dysfunction that warrant clinical attention to more carefully identify patients at risk and potentially lead to better outcomes.

The impact of physical activity on health-related fitness and quality of life for patients with head and neck cancer: a systematic review

“…For example, progressive resistance-training post-treatment revealed a 2.8–5% increase in lean body mass, increasing head and neck cancer patients’ lean body mass to match healthy controls post-intervention 11. Since muscle wasting is exceedingly prevalent in this population, effective approaches to offset this wasting are necessary 4 31. The current results indicate that progressive resistance-training holds significant promise as a tool to offset the usual declines that occur.…”

Prevalence and clinical significance of cancer cachexia based on time from treatment in advanced-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

“…This wasting phenomenon most particularly affects skeletal muscles (ie, sarcopenia) and the browning of white adipose tissues, and dysfunction in the heart, liver, and brain also can be involved in cancer cachexia syndrome. 8 Cancers of the head and neck area are expected to bring about a higher risk of cachexia than tumors of other organs. A relatively simple definition was proposed in 2011 involving weight loss greater than 5% over the previous 6 months, weight loss greater than 2% in individuals with a body mass index (BMI) below 20 kg/m 2 , or sarcopenia.…”

Bioelectrical Impedance Phase Angle as a Prognostic Indicator of Survival in Head-and-Neck Cancer

“…Currently, most nutrition screening in oncology settings is completed by doctors or nursing professionals using the sga, which is a subjective tool, but still valid for predicting decline in a patient's quality of life [19][20][21] . Subjective global assessment has been found to have a high degree of inter-rater reliability.…”