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Topical Area: Education and Teaching

Education and Teaching (Poster Session)

(P04-003-23) The Impact of Nutrition Counseling on Malnutrition Characteristics in Adults With Head and Neck Cancer (HNC)

Saturday, July 22, 2023

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET

Location: Poster Board 203

Presenting Author(s)

Samantha Flesch, MS (she/her/hers)

Masters Student, Pediatric RD
Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States

Co-Author(s)

MH

Marwa Hassanein, MS

Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
MH

Mayson Hollinger, MS

Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
VO

Victoire Omou, MS

Rutgers University, School of Health Professions
ST

Skylar Tynan, MS

Rutgers University, School of Health Professions

Disclosure(s):

Samantha Flesch, MS: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: The objective of this review was to determine if nutrition counseling (NC) versus no NC practices impact the development of malnutrition characteristics in adult patients with HNC undergoing radiation therapy (RT).

Methods: In a systematic approach, a search strategy was developed and applied within three databases to find articles published between January 2002 and November 2022 that assist in answering the research question. PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase retrieved 155, 230, and 2623 articles, respectively. An additional scoping search was conducted in Web of Science. After reviewing articles according to the pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight were chosen to review in full text and four met inclusion criteria: two randomized control trials and two retrospective studies.

Results: Four articles were identified that provide evidence to answer the research question and met the pre-specified inclusion criteria. All four articles found clinically significant weight loss in both intervention and control groups, while only 1 found that the intervention group lost significantly less weight than the control group (8.64% weight loss in the intervention group vs. 9.88% in the control group p = 0.03). Two of the studies found the intervention group had a lower percentage of malnutrition versus the control group using two different malnutrition tools (GLIM and PG-SGA).

Conclusions: In adults with HNC undergoing RT, NC alone may mitigate the risk of malnutrition but cannot eliminate it. NC may result in a decreased amount of weight loss and reduced incidence of malnutrition. However, malnutrition is still prevalent despite interventions. NC may not be able to overcome the deleterious effects of HNC and its treatments, but it should be implemented in the attempt to minimize the decline in overall nutritional status.

Funding Sources: Rutgers University - School of Health Professions