TY - JOUR
T1 - Nutrition Status and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Outpatients With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer
AU - Mulasi, Urvashi
AU - Vock, David M.
AU - Jager-Wittenaar, Harriët
AU - Teigen, Levi
AU - Kuchnia, Adam J.
AU - Jha, Gautam
AU - Fujioka, Naomi
AU - Rudrapatna, Venkatesh
AU - Patel, Manish R.
AU - Earthman, Carrie P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - This pilot study evaluated nutrition status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes among outpatients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Data were collected from 19 patients (18 males, 1 female) during 3 time points: once before chemoradiotherapy (CRT) initiation and 1 and 3 months after CRT. Nutrition status was evaluated using the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Malnutrition was defined as PG-SGA stage B (moderate/suspected malnutrition) or stage C (severely malnourished). HRQOL was assessed through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its HNC-specific module (QLQ-H&N35). We found that well-nourished patients reported having fewer issues with pain, fatigue, appetite loss, chewing, sticky saliva, coughing, and social eating than those categorized as malnourished (P <.05). The association between the global quality-of-life score and PG-SGA score was statistically significant but weak in strength (r = −0.37, P =.012). Although PG-SGA identified 70% as either moderately or severely malnourished before treatment initiation, the mean body mass index was in the overweight category (29 ± 5 kg/m2). Compared with pretreatment, patients reported more severe problems with chewing, swallowing, sticky saliva, dry mouth, speech, social eating, and taste and smell sensations at 1-month follow-up, although issues with dry mouth persisted 3 months post treatment (P =.003). In conclusion, malnourished patients reported having worse HRQOL symptoms compared with well-nourished patients. Routine nutrition and psychosocial assessment through PG-SGA and EORTC tools might help identify patients in need of nutrition and psychosocial care.
AB - This pilot study evaluated nutrition status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes among outpatients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Data were collected from 19 patients (18 males, 1 female) during 3 time points: once before chemoradiotherapy (CRT) initiation and 1 and 3 months after CRT. Nutrition status was evaluated using the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Malnutrition was defined as PG-SGA stage B (moderate/suspected malnutrition) or stage C (severely malnourished). HRQOL was assessed through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its HNC-specific module (QLQ-H&N35). We found that well-nourished patients reported having fewer issues with pain, fatigue, appetite loss, chewing, sticky saliva, coughing, and social eating than those categorized as malnourished (P <.05). The association between the global quality-of-life score and PG-SGA score was statistically significant but weak in strength (r = −0.37, P =.012). Although PG-SGA identified 70% as either moderately or severely malnourished before treatment initiation, the mean body mass index was in the overweight category (29 ± 5 kg/m2). Compared with pretreatment, patients reported more severe problems with chewing, swallowing, sticky saliva, dry mouth, speech, social eating, and taste and smell sensations at 1-month follow-up, although issues with dry mouth persisted 3 months post treatment (P =.003). In conclusion, malnourished patients reported having worse HRQOL symptoms compared with well-nourished patients. Routine nutrition and psychosocial assessment through PG-SGA and EORTC tools might help identify patients in need of nutrition and psychosocial care.
KW - PG-SGA
KW - head and neck cancer
KW - malnutrition
KW - nutrition station
KW - quality of life
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U2 - 10.1002/ncp.10476
DO - 10.1002/ncp.10476
M3 - Article
C2 - 32141121
AN - SCOPUS:85081533315
SN - 0884-5336
VL - 35
SP - 1129
EP - 1137
JO - Nutrition in Clinical Practice
JF - Nutrition in Clinical Practice
IS - 6
ER -