Enteral feeding during chemoradiotherapy for advanced head-and-neck cancer: a single-institution experience using a reactive approach.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
; 79(3): 763-9, 2011 Mar 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20510546
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
The optimal method for providing enteral nutrition to patients with head-and-neck cancer is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of our reactive policy, which consists of the installation of a nasogastric (NG) feeding tube only when required by the patient's nutritional status. METHODS AND MATERIALS The records of all patients with Stage III and IV head-and-neck cancer treated with concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy between January 2003 and December 2006 were reviewed. The overall and disease-free survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.RESULTS:
The present study included 253 patients, and the median follow-up was 33 months. At 3 years, the estimated overall survival and disease-free survival rate was 82.8% and 77.8%, respectively, for the whole population. No survival difference was observed when the patients were compared according to the presence and absence of a NG tube or stratified by weight loss quartile. The mean weight loss during treatment for all patients was 10.4%. The proportion of patients requiring a NG tube was 49.8%, and the NG tube remained in place for a median duration of 40 days. No major complications were associated with NG tube installation. Only 3% of the patients were still dependent on enteral feeding at 6 months.CONCLUSION:
These results suggest that the use of a reactive NG tube with an interdisciplinary team approach is a safe and effective method to manage malnutrition in patients treated with concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Nutrição Enteral
/
Desnutrição
/
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Evaluation_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Canadá