title: Nutritional problems in children treated for medulloblastoma: implications for enteral nutrition support.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to identify the nature and severity of nutritional problems associated with the current treatment of medulloblastoma and to identify any risk factors for nutritional morbidity during treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre retrospective audit of medical and dietetic notes of 41 children treated for medulloblastoma in three UK paediatric oncology centres was undertaken. Data on nutritional status, nutritional support, mutism, swallowing and common toxicity criteria (CTC) scores for vomiting, constipation and mobility were collected at defined points in treatment from diagnosis until 12 months post-treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant problems including weight loss, vomiting and constipation were highlighted early on in treatment. The majority of patients were well nourished at diagnosis with a mean percentage weight: height of 99.8%, however nutritional status started to decline early in treatment during radiotherapy, coinciding with 49% of patients having grade 1 or above CTC score for vomiting and constipation. The decline in nutritional status continued, peaking by course 2 of chemotherapy with a mean weight loss of 8.2% since diagnosis. Proactive supplementary feeding early in treatment by one of the three centres demonstrated a superior nutritional outcome when compared statistically to the two centres that fed only as a response to nutritional decline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlighted significant morbidity associated with the current treatment of medulloblastoma. Findings suggest the need to consider earlier proactive nutritional intervention to prevent nutritional decline during treatment. These early nutritional problems may be related to toxicities of radiotherapy and concomitant vincristine.
authors.affiliation: Dietetic Department, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK. evelyn.ward@leedsth.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arbuckle
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forsythe
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bujkiewicz
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pizer
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Estlin
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Picton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015431:Weight Loss