%0 Journal Article
%T Malnutrition in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy: A cross-sectional study.
%A Deng LH
%A Chi K
%A Zong Y
%A Li Y
%A Chen MG
%A Chen P
%J Eur J Oncol Nurs
%V 66
%N 0
%D 2023 Oct 8
%M 37611500
%F 2.588
%R 10.1016/j.ejon.2023.102387
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>In this study, we investigated the prevalence of malnutrition and analyzed the related factors among patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) undergoing radiotherapy.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We included 108 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy from the oncology and thoracic surgery departments of a comprehensive medical center in Qingdao between January 2019 and June 2020. We used the Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 tool (NRS-2002) to evaluate their nutritional status during radiotherapy. We analyzed the basic sociodemographic information and laboratory indicators of the respondents to examine the impact of these factors on nutritional status.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In the 108 patients that we studied, those aged ≥65 years had a significantly higher nutritional risk when compared to patients <65 years of age (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that a late tumor stage (P = 0.039), the neck being the site of radiotherapy (P = 0.009), the presence of diabetes (P < 0.001), and the presence of anxiety and depression (P = 0.002) were associated with nutritional risks for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a late tumor stage, the neck being the radiotherapy site, and combined anxiety and depression as nutritional risk factors in such patients.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>We found a high incidence of malnutrition in patients undergoing radiotherapy for HNC; this highlights the importance of early identification of patients at risk and evaluation of related risk factors to enhance the efficacy of nutritional interventions.