title: Nutritional support and prognosis in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: We retrospectively studied the relationship between nutritional status as indicated by the presence or absence of the cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity response and treatment-related morbidity, disease recurrence, and survival at 2 years in 67 consecutive patients with head and neck carcinoma. Serial nutritional assessments were conducted throughout the course of combined initial antineoplastic treatment and nutritional support. The presence of cell-mediated immunity at the end of treatment was associated with a 2-year survival rate of 100%, whereas patients who were anergic at the end of treatment had a 2-year survival rate of 48% (P < 0.01). Morbidity due to surgical therapy and tumor recurrence rates were also higher in the anergic group (P < 0.01). Prognosis in head and neck cancer is based on many factors, but vigorous nutritional support during initial treatment may have some effect on morbidity, tumor recurrence, and survival time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, Tufts University School of Medicine, MA 02135.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Highbarger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome