Managing the nutrition impact symptom cluster in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma using an educational...

This study aimed to test the feasibility and estimate the effectiveness of a theory-driven and evidence-based educational intervention program to manage the nutrition impact symptom cluster in patients undergoing radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

A pilot randomized controlled trial was performed. Forty patients were divided equally into the intervention and control groups. The patients in the intervention group attended 2 face-to-face individual instructional sessions to enhance their knowledge and skills in managing the cluster. The study outcomes were the severity of the nutrition impact symptom cluster, body weight, symptom interference, and quality of life (QOL). A generalized estimating equation model was used to compare the differences in the outcome variables between the groups over 3-time points.

The consent rate for the study was 95.2%, and the attrition rate was 5.0%. Although no significant differences between the groups were detected from T1 to T3, favorable effects on relieving the cluster itself (B [95% confidence interval (CI)] = -0.844 [-2.261, 0.572], p = 0.243, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.37 [-1.00, 0.28]) and improvements in physical well-being (B [95% CI] = 0.833 [-3.965, 5.632], p = 0.734, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.15 [-0.78, 0.49]) and in head and neck cancer-specific QOL (B [95% CI] = 0.061 [-4.061, 4.182], p = 0.977, Cohen's d [95% CI] = -0.05 [-0.68, 0.59]) were observed in the intervention group compared with the control.

The educational intervention program is feasible and has promising effects on relieving the cluster.