title: Pretreatment body mass index and head and neck cancer outcome: A review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of overweight and obesity defined as BMI≥25kg/m(2) is increasing, also among head and neck cancer patients. It is unknown whether the presence of high BMI influences disease-related mortality, overall survival and recurrence in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed available literature using Pubmed and Web of Science. Human observational studies were included if they reported the impact of high BMI on mortality, recurrence or survival for head and neck cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven full articles and two abstracts met the inclusion criteria: six prospective and seven retrospective cohort studies, which comprised 8.306 patients. Patients with higher BMI had increased overall survival and decreased disease-related mortality and recurrence rate compared with underweight and normal weight patients. Most studies were adjusted for potentially confounding variables, such as stage of disease and smoking habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High BMI is associated with a better outcome in head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dide den
authors.initials: Dd
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.affiliation: Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kampman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: carla.vanherpen@radboudumc.nl.
authors.forename: Carla M L
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Herpen
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D050177:Overweight; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Body mass index; Head neck cancer; Mortality; Outcome; Survival