Intensive Nutritional Counseling in Head-neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Intensive Nutritional Counseling in Head-neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: a Randomized, Controlled Trial

In head-neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) malnutrition is associated with impaired quality of life, reduced survival, more frequent treatment interruptions and dose reductions. The international guidelines recommend early nutritional support in the presence of nutritional risk, as it allows preventing or treating malnutrition and improving the clinical outcomes, as well as the tolerability of oncologic treatments. Previous nutritional intervention trials in head-neck cancer patients have been conducted on small samples and did not clarify the role of oral nutritional supplements (ONS). Accordingly, although current guidelines recommend as grade A the use of ONS associated with dietary counseling for head-neck cancer patients undergoing RT, the efficacy of this nutritional intervention still needs to be evaluated in adequately sized and randomized clinical trials.

Nutritional counseling (follow-up visits once a week for 6 weeks [during radiotherapy] and at 1 month and at 3 months since the end of radiotherapy) + n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-enriched oral nutritional supplements (1-2 bottles/day)

Nutritional counseling (follow-up visits once a week for 6 weeks [during radiotherapy] and at 1 month and at 3 months since the end of radiotherapy)

Trends in quality of life during the study (assessment: at the end of radiotherapy; at 1 month and at 3 months since the end of radiotherapy)

Trends in handgrip strength during the study (assessment: at the end of radiotherapy; at 1 month and at 3 months since the end of radiotherapy)

Trends in phase angle (as surrogate of body composition) during the study (assessment: at the end of radiotherapy; at 1 month and at 3 months since the end of radiotherapy)

Inclusion Criteria: newly diagnosed head-neck cancer indication to radiotherapy Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status <=2 availability to planned measurements and to written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: age <18 years ongoing artificial nutrition refusal

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