Nutrition Impact Symptom Clusters in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy. Wang Yujie,Lu Qian,Zhang Lichuan,Zhuang Bing,Zhang Tong,Jin Sanli,Sun Yan,Xiao Shaowen,Zheng Baomin,Fang Yu,Gong Liqing,Wang Yanli,Cao Yiwei,Wang Weihu Journal of pain and symptom management OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to identify the nutrition impact symptom (NIS) clusters in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and explore their relationships with the weight loss rate (WLR). METHODS:This longitudinal study included 169 patients. At baseline (T), the demographics, clinical information, and weight before radiotherapy (RT) were recorded. At the third week (T) and the end of RT (T), we assessed the weight, prevalence, severity, and interference of the NIS with the Head and Neck Patient Symptom Checklist. The mean scores of the severity of NIS at T and T were used as a whole to perform the exploratory factor analysis and identify the symptom clusters. Cronbach's α coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency of the symptom clusters. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the relationships between clusters and the WLR. RESULTS:We extracted three clusters from 14 NISs: the RT-specific symptom cluster including pain, difficulty swallowing, oral mucositis, thick saliva, difficulty chewing, and dry mouth (Cronbach's α = 0.820); the gastrointestinal symptom cluster including nausea, loss of appetite, feeling full, vomiting, and taste change (Cronbach's α = 0.592); the psychological status cluster including depressed, anxious, and lack of energy (Cronbach's α = 0.710). The multivariable model showed that participants with more serious RT-specific symptom cluster (β = 1.020, 95% CI: 0.570-1.471, P < 0.001) had higher WLR. CONCLUSIONS:The NIS had close internal connections with each other, so the strategies applied by healthcare professionals should focus on multiple related symptoms, especially to manage the RT-specific symptom cluster. 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.12.013

Adherence to intensive nutrition care in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. de Oliveira Faria Sheilla,Howell Doris,Lopes Carvalho André,de Oliveira Faria Rafael,Eluf Neto José European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery PURPOSE:The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and effect of adherence to intensive nutritional care on nutritional outcomes and survival in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS:Three-hundred and seventeen head and neck cancer patients referred to intensive nutrition support during radiotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who missed less than 25% of their appointments with the dietitian were considered adherent. Primary outcome was percentage weight loss during treatment. Secondary outcomes were overall survival and patients' capacity to accomplish their caloric and protein recommendations. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of weight loss and Kaplan-Meier to estimate survival. RESULTS:Less than half of the patients (n = 145, 45.7%) were adherent. Statistically significant less weight loss in the adherent group (42.8% vs 55.8%; p = 0.02) was found, despite no difference in energy or protein intake. Logistic regression models after adjusting for other variables demonstrated that adherence resulted in 43% protection from significant weight loss (odds ratio 0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.97). Overall survival was not different between groups. CONCLUSION:Findings demonstrated that patients who were adherent to weekly contacts with the dietitian had less weight loss, but not better survival or nutritional intake. Additional investigation of factors that may act as barriers or enablers for adherence could help improve the outcomes in this population. 10.1007/s00405-020-06550-2

Is sarcopenia a predictor of prognosis for patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer? A meta-analysis. Findlay Merran,White Kathryn,Stapleton Natalie,Bauer Judith Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) INTRODUCTION:Computed tomography (CT)-defined sarcopenia is a demonstrated poor prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer, however, its impact in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has only recently been explored. This study aimed to determine the prognostic impact of CT-defined sarcopenia at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) on overall survival in patients with HNC undergoing radiotherapy ± other treatment modality of curative intent. METHODS:A systematic review of the literature published between January 2004 and May 2020 was conducted in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, AMED and PubMed. Empirical studies in adults (≥18 years) who had completed radiotherapy of curative intent ± other treatment modalities that evaluated sarcopenia using the gold standard method at L3 and applied sex-specific cut-offs were included. Outcome of interest was overall survival. Study quality was assessed using the Quality In Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals derived from multivariate analysis were extracted directly from studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to determine the pooled hazard ratio for overall survival in patients with sarcopenia versus those without using RevMan (Version 5.3). The certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS:A total of 6211 studies were identified and screened from which seven studies met the inclusion criteria with 1059 pooled patients. All studies defined sarcopenia as low muscle mass but varied in skeletal muscle index (SMI) threshold values applied and ethnicity. Sarcopenia prevalence ranged from 6.6 to 64.6% pre-treatment and 12.4 to 65.8% post-treatment. Pre-treatment sarcopenia was associated with reduced overall survival (HR 2.07; 95%CI, 1.47-2.92, p < 0.0001, I = 49%) with similar findings for post-treatment sarcopenia (HR 2.93; 95%CI, 2.00-4.29, p < 0.00001, I = 0%) with moderate to low heterogeneity exhibited amongst studies respectively. The certainty of evidence for overall survival according to GRADE was low for pre-treatment sarcopenia and moderate for post-treatment sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS:CT-defined sarcopenia is independently associated with reduced overall survival in patients with HNC and holds a clinically meaningful prognostic value. Consensus regarding sarcopenia assessment and definitions is warranted in order to substantiate these findings and support implementation of body composition assessment as a clinically meaningful prognostic tool into practice. 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.09.017

Exercise and Nutrition Interventions in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer during Curative Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of nutritional and physical exercise interventions and interventions combining these interventions during radiotherapy treatment for patients with head and neck cancer on body composition, objectively measured physical function and nutritional status. Systematic electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed interface), EMBASE (Ovid interface), CINAHL (EBSCO interface) and Cochrane Library (Wiley interface). We identified 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included 858 patients. For body composition, using only nutrition as intervention, a significant difference between treatment and control group were observed (SMD 0.42 (95CI 0.23-0.62), < 0.001). Only pilot RCTs investigated combination treatment and no significant difference between the treatment and control groups were found (SMD 0.21 (95CI -0.16-0.58), = 0.259). For physical function, a significant difference between treatment and control group with a better outcome for the treatment group were observed (SMD 0.78 (95CI 0.51-1.04), < 0.001). No effects on nutritional status were found. This meta-analysis found significantly positive effects of nutrition and physical exercise interventions alone in favor of the treatment groups. No effects in studies with combined interventions were observed. Future full-scaled RCTs combining nutrition and physical exercise is warranted. 10.3390/nu12113233