title: Malnutrition in patients treated for oral or oropharyngeal cancer--prevalence and relationship with oral symptoms: an explorative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess prevalence of malnutrition after treatment for oral/oropharyngeal cancer and to explore how oral symptoms relate to malnutrition after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, malnutrition (weight loss ≥ 10% in 6 months or ≥ 5% in 1 month), oral symptoms (EORTC QLQ-H&N35 questionnaire and additional questions to assess chewing problems), dental status, trismus and dietary intake were assessed in 116 adult patients treated for oral/oropharyngeal cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of malnutrition was 16% (95%CI: 10% to 23%). Prevalence of malnutrition in the period 0-3 months after treatment was significantly higher (25%) than in the periods >3-12 months (13%) and >12-36 months after treatment (3%, p = 0.008). Logistic multivariate regression analysis revealed that swallowing problems (p = 0.021) and insufficient protein intake were significantly related to malnutrition (p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, malnutrition is a considerable problem in patients treated for oral/oropharyngeal cancer, shortly after treatment. Of all oral symptoms, only swallowing problems were significantly related to malnutrition in the period after treatment for oral/oropharyngeal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Internal zip code BB70, PO Box 30001, 9700 RB 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: Rob P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: van Oort
authors.forename: Bernard F A M
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: van der Laan
authors.forename: Jan L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins