Page 192 - Functional impairment and cues for rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients -

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Chapter 8
ABSTRACT
Background: Sarcopenia might be a relevant lead for optimization of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients’ condition before chemoradiotherapy to prevent long-term functional swallowing impairment, such as feeding tube dependency.
Methods: Regression analyses were performed to assess the association between skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), as a measure of sarcopenia, and prolonged (> 90 days) feeding tube dependency in 128 HNC patients treated with primary chemoradiotherapy.
Results: 61 patients (48%) became prolonged feeding tube dependent. Lower SMI increased the risk of prolonged feeding tube dependency in multivariable analysis (RR 1.08; 95% CI 1.02– 1.14, p = .013) adjusted for body mass index, abnormal diet and socioeconomic status.
Conclusions: Sarcopenia contributes to the risk of prolonged feeding tube dependency of HNC patients treated with primary CRT. Since sarcopenia might be a modifiable factor prior to treatment, it should be explored as a target for pretreatment patients’ condition.