Appetite and adverse effects associated with radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer

The relationship between radiation treatment and adverse effects resulting in changes in appetite was studied in patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer.

Path analysis was used to evaluate the following factors in 117 patients receiving radiation therapy for H&N cancer: daily fluctuations in saliva production, analgesic use, frequency of oral care, subject characteristics, and appetite.

At 20 Gy of radiation, appetite was affected by Brinkman index value, age, and sensitivity to taste (R2=0.48, p<0.001); at 30 Gy of radiation, appetite was affected by frequency of oral care, xerostomia symptoms, age, sensitivity to taste, and oral mucositis (R2=0.52, p<0.001); and at 50 Gy of radiation, appetite was affected by low saliva production in the morning, frequency of oral care, xerostomia symptoms, sensitivity to taste, analgesic use, and oral mucositis (R2=0.62, p<0.001).

The results of this study suggest that care taken to avoid a decrease in appetite due to adverse effects of radiation therapy should differ according to the dosage and schedule of radiation therapy. These findings represent important data for health care professionals to understand and support appropriate dietary intake and improved quality of life for H&N cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.