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Nutritional risk and quality of life in head and neck cancer patients receiving chemoradiation
Author(s) -
Hine R Jean,
Sherman Allen,
Siegel Eric,
Penagaricano Jose A,
Maddox Annemarie,
Suen James Y
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a8
Subject(s) - medicine , mucositis , quality of life (healthcare) , head and neck cancer , weight loss , adverse effect , malnutrition , dysphagia , radiation therapy , cancer , medical nutrition therapy , oncology , surgery , obesity , nursing
The survival of patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancers of the head and neck (HNSCC) has improved since concurrent chemoradiation therapy emerged as a treatment modality. However, this therapy is associated with severe toxicities, such as mucositis and dysphagia. These may exacerbate a compromised nutritional state prior to treatment and lead to a lower quality of life. Malnutrition alters the pharmacokinetics of some cancer therapeutic agents and may contribute to treatment toxicities. The study objective was to define adverse treatment associated nutritional changes by prospectively assessing weight, nutritional risk (Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment) and quality‐of‐life (HNQOL). Patients ≥ 18 years old, with HNSCC, who received chemoradiation were enrolled. All subjects were Caucasian males, (45‐75 years). Eighty percent had gastrostomy tubes placed before therapy. The majority smoked; 50% used alcohol and 40% took vitamin supplements. There was a significant decline in pretreatment vs. end of radiation therapy weight ( P<0.05 ), especially in those with pretreatment loss >10%. Nutritional risk scores rose significantly ( P< 0.05) , and scores in the HNQOL eating and speaking domains declined ( Ps<0.05 ). The data suggest that prospectively evaluating nutritional risk may identify those likely to experience further declines in nutritional state and quality of life.