Changes in nutritional status and dietary intake during and after head and neck cancer treatment.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to test whether nutritional status of patients with head and neck cancer changes during and after treatment.


METHODS
Nutritional status (including body weight, lean mass, and fat mass) and dietary intake were assessed in 29 patients with head and neck cancer. Patients were assessed 1 week before, and 1 and 4 months after treatment (radiotherapy, either alone or combined with chemotherapy or surgery).


RESULTS
During treatment, body weight (-3.6 ± 5.3 kg; p = .019) and lean mass (-2.43 ± 2.81 kg; p = .001) significantly declined. Patients with sufficient intake (≥35 kcal and ≥1.5 grams protein/kg body weight) lost less body weight and lean mass than patients with insufficient intake (mean difference, -4.0 ± 1.9 kg; p = 0.048 and -2.1 ± 1.0 kg; p = .054, respectively). After treatment, only patients with sufficient intake gained body weight (2.3 ± 2.3 kg) and lean mass (1.2 ± 1.3 kg).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with head and neck cancer fail to maintain or improve nutritional status during treatment, despite sufficient intake.
Jager-Wittenaar
Harriët
H
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Post Office Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. h.jager@onco.umcg.nl
Dijkstra
Pieter U
PU
Vissink
Arjan
A
Langendijk
Johannes A
JA
van der Laan
Bernard F A M
BF
Pruim
Jan
J
Roodenburg
Jan L N
JL
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss
D004044:Dietary Proteins