Languis et al identified risk factors for weight loss and malnutrition in patients treated for early stage laryngeal cancer. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from early nutritional interventions. The authors are from VU University Medical Center Amsterdam and University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands.
Patient selection: radiation therapy for laryngeal cancer, T1 to T2, N0 to N2c, M0
Malnutrition was defined as weight loss > 5%.
Predictors of weight loss and malnurition on multivariate analysis:
(1) radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the neck (hazard ratio 4.2)
(2) dry mouth (hazard ratio 1.7)
Others risk factors from the univariate analysis:
(1) supraglottic tumor location
(2) T2
(3) N1 or N2
(4) higher radiation therapy dose
(5) nausea and vomiting
(6) pain and/or use of painkillers
(7) swallowing difficulty (dysphagia)
(8) problems with senses (taste, smell, etc)
(9) trouble with social eating
