Association Between Preoperative Nutritional Status and Postoperative Outcome in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery often experience significant postoperative morbidities. Administering preoperative nutritional intervention may improve surgical outcomes, but there is currently a paucity of data reviewing the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome. It is therefore of importance to investigate this association among head and neck cancer patients. To assess the association between preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome in head and neck cancer patients treated with surgery, a retrospective study of 70 head and neck cancer patients who were surgically treated between 2013 and 2014 in a tertiary referral head and neck surgery center in Hong Kong was conducted. Clinical data regarding preoperative nutritional status and postoperative outcome were retrieved from a computer record system. Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the appropriate parameters. A higher preoperative albumin level was associated with lower rates of postoperative complications and better wound healing (P < 0.05). In contrast, preoperative body mass index, hemoglobin level, and absolute lymphocyte count did not demonstrate significant associations with postoperative outcome. As high albumin levels are associated with better surgical outcome in head and neck cancer patients, preoperative intervention strategies that boost albumin levels could be considered for improving surgical outcome.