title: Pretreatment nutritional status and locoregional failure of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was carried out to determine if markers of nutritional status predict for locoregional failure following intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective chart review of 78 patients with SCCHN who received definitive CCRT. We compared patient factors, tumor characteristics, and nutritional status indicators between patients with and without locoregional failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen of 78 patients (19%) experienced locoregional failure. Median follow-up for live patients was 38 months. On univariate analysis, pretreatment percentage of ideal body weight (%IBW) (p < .01), pretreatment hemoglobin (p = .04), and treatment duration (p < .01) were significant predictors of failure. On multivariate analysis, pretreatment %IBW (p = .04) and treatment time (p < .01) remained statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although treatment time is an accepted risk factor for failure, differences in outcome for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing definitive CCRT based on pretreatment %IBW should be examined further.
authors: Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA. mary.platek@roswellpark.org
authors: Mary E
authors: ME
authors: Platek
authors: Mary E
authors: ME
authors: Reid
authors: Gregory E
authors: GE
authors: Wilding
authors: Wainwright
authors: W
authors: Jaggernauth
authors: Nestor R
authors: NR
authors: Rigual
authors: Wesley L
authors: WL
authors: Hicks
authors: Saurin R
authors: SR
authors: Popat
authors: Graham W
authors: GW
authors: Warren
authors: Maureen
authors: M
authors: Sullivan
authors: Wade L
authors: WL
authors: Thorstad
authors: Mohamed K
authors: MK
authors: Khan
authors: Thom R
authors: TR
authors: Loree
authors: Anurag K
authors: AK
authors: Singh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure