Home enteral nutrition may prevent myelosuppression of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy

Abstract

Background The aim of this study is to assess the effect of home enteral nutrition (HEN) on the myelosuppression of patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) during the course of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods A total of 18 outpatients with NPC administered oral nutritional supplementation intervention at home during the course of CCRT were designated as the HEN group, whereas 36 patients with NPC who had previously completed CCRT were retrospectively included as the control group. Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment, body mass index (BMI), and blood test were evaluated prior to CCRT. During the course of CCRT, blood test was assessed every 2 weeks. Results In male patients, hemoglobin (HB) and red blood cell were decreased (P < .05) in both HEN and control group after CCRT, whereas white blood cell (WBC) started to decrease since week 2 of CCRT in the control group but maintained in the HEN group which was significantly higher than the control (5.05 ± 1.29 vs 3.77 ± 1.5, P < .05). In female patients, HB and WBC were reduced in control group during CCRT, whereas these indicators also maintained in the HEN group. Surprisingly, all patients with lower BMI (<24 kg/m2) had a significant increase in platelet (PLT) after CCRT (200.78 ± 58.03 vs 253.00 ± 69.82, P < .05), while had steady HB and WBC values in the HEN group. At the end of CCRT, WBC and PLT of the HEN group were both higher than those in the control group (5.21 ± 1.07 vs 3.37 ± 1.52), (253.00 ± 69.82 vs 165.57 ± 59.56) (P < .05 for both). Our findings suggest that HEN is effective in preventing myelosuppression during CCRT for patients with NPC. Conclusion Our findings suggest that HEN is effective in preventing myelosuppression during CCRT for patients with NPC.

The Effect of Omega-3 Enriched Oral Nutrition Supplement on Nutritional Indices and Quality of Life in Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…In post-discharge colorectal cancer surgery patients who were in ONS intervention group showed reduced skeletal muscle loss compared to those in the control group, however, no difference was found in other biochemical markers (Tan et al, 2021). Similar results were observed when the patients were treated with home enteral nutrition (Li et al, 2019). In this study, we also found no significant difference in nutritional status markers between two groups.…”

Effects of Enteral Nutrition on Patients With Oesophageal Carcinoma Treated With Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: A Prospective, Multicentre, Randomised, Controlled Study

“…Further, in case of oesophageal carcinoma, the importance of home nutrition is gradually gaining attention, especially in patients undergoing surgery. Several studies have shown that reasonable home nutrition therapy can improve the nutritional status, quality of life and effects of anti-tumour treatment in the patients (19)(20)(21)(22). Moreover, our study indirectly establishes the importance of home nutrition in patients with oesophageal carcinoma undergoing CCRT with an unexpected finding.…”

Efficacy of Cereal-based Oral Nutrition Supplement on Nutritional Status, Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients Under Cancer Therapy

“…Our study results showed ONS intervention did not improve circulating concentrations of nutritional status biomarkers although hemoglobin concentration was slightly increased only in the intervention group. A recent study showed that nasopharyngeal cancer patients receiving chemoradiotherapy had higher white blood cell counts when the patients were treated with home enteral nutrition [25]. The hemoglobin concentration was negatively associated with PG-SGA score in colorectal cancer patients [26] and nutrition intervention improved the compliance rate of chemotherapy and nutritional status measured by blood concentrations of hemoglobin and albumin [27].…”