Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 1, 2025

Therapy Testing in a Spheroid-based 3D Cell Culture Model for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 20, 2018
Nutritional outcomes in head and neck cancer patients: is intensive nutritional care worth it?
Sheilla de Oliveira Faria1, Doris Howell2, Marco Auré Vamondes Kulcsar3
1Departamento de Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Objective:
This study aimed to compare nutritional outcomes before and after implementation of weekly dietetic counseling (intensive nutritional care) in head and neck cancers patients.
Methods:
A retrospective study with all head and neck patients, who received radiotherapy between January 2010 and December 2017 were performed. The main outcome was significant weight loss. Compliance to caloric and protein recommendations were also evaluated.
Results:
In all, 472 patients were included. Weight loss was not different between before and after implementation (-6.7%; IQ -10.5/-1.9 vs -5.0%; IQ -9.8/-0.7;p=0.06).There were no significant difference in terms of meeting the recommended intake. Higher baseline body mass index and oral nutritional support predicted significant weight loss.
Conclusion:
Implementation of intensive nutritional care did not have an impact on weight loss and energy and protein intake in head and neck cancer patients. Further research would be of value to determine the appropriate service-delivery model to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
Enteral Nutrition II: Nasointestinal and Gastrostomy Feeding
Nasointestinal Feeding
Nasointestinal feeding involves placing a tube...
Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...
Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Role of Communication in the Nursing Process II: Planning and Implementation
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...