title: Malnutrition and quality of life in patients treated for oral or oropharyngeal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study assessed whether malnourished patients score lower on quality of life after treatment for oral/oropharyngeal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Malnutrition (weight loss ≥ 10% in 6 months/ ≥ 5% in 1 month) and quality of life (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 questionnaire) were assessed cross-sectionally in patients treated for oral/oropharyngeal cancer. The interval after treatment varied from 1 day to 3 years. The relationship between malnutrition and quality of life was analyzed univariately (Mann-Whitney U test) and multivariately (linear regression analyses). Statistical significance was set at p < .05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of posttreatment malnutrition was 16% (18/115, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9% to 23%). Analyzed univariately, malnourished patients scored significantly worse on physical functioning (p = .007) and fatigue (p = .034) than well-nourished patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that malnutrition was significantly related to physical functioning (p = .015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malnourished patients treated for oral/oropharyngeal cancer score lower on quality of life scales related to physical fitness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. h.jager@onco.umcg.nl
authors.forename: Harriët
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jager-Wittenaar
authors.forename: Pieter U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Arjan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vissink
authors.forename: Bernard F A M
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: van der Laan
authors.forename: Rob P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: van Oort
authors.forename: Jan L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss