The Health Risks Of Dysphagia For Patients With Head And Neck Cancer: A Multicentre Prospective Observational Study.

Abstract

It is well known that malnutrition is a frequent co-morbidity in cancer patients, especially in those with head and neck neoplasms. This may be due both to the presence of dysphagia symptoms and to the appearance of adverse effects on Chemotherapy and / or Radiotherapy. The aim of this retrospective observational multicentric study is to evaluate the nutritional status between dysphagia cancer patients and non-dysphagia cancer patients. Data from 60 patients were analysed, 31 of which without dysphagia and 29 with dysphagia. Results highlight that patients with dysphagia had higher involuntary body weight loss than non-dysphagia ones (p < 0.001). By analysing the entire population, it stands out a weight loss rate of 12 ± 9% compared to the usual weight was observed and a prevalence of moderate / severe malnutrition diagnosis of 53%. Furthermore, 76% of the population who manifested the symptom of dysphagia presented severe malnutrition already at the first visit, compared to 32% of non-dysphagia subjects.

Relation of Malnutrition and Nosocomical Infections in Cancer Patients in Hospital: An Observational Study

“…Patients with H&N cancer presented the worse nutritional status, with most of the patients being malnourished and/or sarcopenic [1,31]. In this group of patients, severe malnutrition is associated with the presence of dysphagia symptoms in 76% of the patients [42].…”

Nutritional Management in Adult Patients With Dysphagia: Position Paper From Japanese Working Group on Integrated Nutrition for Dysphagic People

“…Weight loss and poorer nutritional status are more common in patients with cancer with dysphagia than in those without dysphagia. 27 Malnutrition in patients with cancer is associated with poor QOL and prognosis. Therefore, complex nutritional interventions including early nutritional screening and regular assessment of nutritional intake, weight changes, and BMI for individual patients are essential.…”