Intensive Nutrition Counselling in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

An Intervention Study Comparing Intensive Nutrition Counselling With On-demand Counselling in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of a pre-planned patient-adjusted intensive nutritional counselling given by a dietitian several times during (chemo)radiotherapy vs. individualized nutritional counselling given by a dietitian once in the beginning of (chemo)radiotherapy and thereafter on-demand in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer.

• A sample size of 102 patients was identified to achieve 30% reduction in prevalence of malnutrition at the end of treatment (50% to 20%), with a significance value of 5% (p < 0.05), 90% power. The second calculation was for a sample size of 88 patients for 30% reduction in prevalence of malnutrition at the end of treatment (50% to 20%) with the significance value 5% (p<0.05), 85% power and effect size 70%. Based on these numbers, our aim is to recruit 100 patients, with the assumption that 12% patients would be lost to follow up.
• Randomization will be performed by the minimization procedure with the Minim Program® (http://www-users.york.ac.uk/\~mb55/guide/randsery.htm). The allocation will be done according to the following criteria: 1) Stage I-II vs. Stage III-IV; 2) age <65 vs. >=65 year; 3) Body Mass Index <20 vs. >=20 kg/m2 and 4) tumour location (oral cavity-oropharynx-tonsils vs. hypopharynx-larynx vs. nasopharynx).
• Adverse events of chemoradiotherapy will be classified according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events-3.0 (CTCAE v3.0)
• Nutritional status will be assessed by patient-generated subjective global assessment, nutritional risk screening-2002, upper-arm anthropometry (MAC, triceps skinfold thickness, MAMA), Bio-impedance, hand grip strength and weight loss.
• Survival: overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival are calculated.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of primary locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, pharynx, nasopharynx or larynx

Exclusion Criteria:

• renal function impairment
• liver insufficiency
• heart failure
• pulmonal impairment
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• cognitive impairment
• previous cancer in any location
• terminal stage