Systematic nutrition management for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients undergoing radiotherapy

• Main Authors: Huang JF, Sun RJ, Jiang WJ, Wu P, Zhang L, Xu MQ, Zhou LY, Pang QF, Wu YX, Yang B, Zhang FZ
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019-10-01
• Series: OncoTargets and Therapy
• Subjects: nasopharyngeal carcinoma; radiotherapy; nutrition management; clinical outcome.
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/systematic-nutrition-management-for-locally-advanced-nasopharyngeal-ca-peer-reviewed-article-OTT

Jian-Feng Huang,1,* Ren-Juan Sun,1,* Wen-Jun Jiang,1 Ping Wu,2 Li Zhang,1 Mei-Qin Xu,1 Le-Yuan Zhou,1 Qing-Feng Pang,3 Ya-Xian Wu,3 Bo Yang,1 Fu-Zheng Zhang1 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nutriology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Physiopathology, Wuxi Medical School of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bo Yang; Fu-Zheng ZhangDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, 200 Huihe Road, Wuxi 214062, People’s Republic of ChinaTel [phone]; [phone]Fax [phone]Email [e-mail]; [e-mail]: To evaluate the impact of systematic nutrition management (SNM) on nutritional status, treatment-related toxicity, quality of life (QoL), response rates, and survival in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) treated by radiotherapy (RT).Methods: In this retrospective study, 56 patients with LA-NPC were selected as nutrition management group (NG) for SNM during RT till 1 month later. Another 56 patients with LA-NPC receiving RT without SNM as control group (CG) were identified from the hospital database and matched pairs with NG patients according to age, gender, stage, and body mass index (BMI) prior to RT.Results: At 1 month after RT, the percentage of malnourished patients with BMI <18.5 kg/m2 was statistically significant reduced in NG as compared to the CG group (35.7% vs 58.9%, P=0.014). Nutritional indexes of body weight, hemoglobin, prealbumin, and lymphocyte in the NG were statistically significant higher than those in the CG group (P<0.05). NG patients had statistically significant less grade 3–4 oral mucositis during RT compared with the CG group (32.1% vs 51.8%, P=0.035). Furthermore, at 1 month after RT, an improved QoL was observed in NG patients with respect to physical, role and social functions, symptom scales of fatigue and pain, and the global health status as compared to the CG group (P<0.05). With a median follow-up of 24.8 months, there were no statistical differences between NG and CG (P>0.05) for the 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival (84.2% versus 79.5% and 94.7% versus 92.3%, respectively.).Conclusion: SNM for LA-NPC patients treated by RT resulted in better nutritional status, reduced treatment-related toxicity and improved QoL.Keywords: nasopharyngeal carcinoma, radiotherapy, nutrition management, clinical outcome