Predictors of Weight Loss in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Radiation or Concurrent Chemoradiation Treated at a Tertiary Cancer Center

Abstract

Background Radiation therapy (RT) has remained the mainstay treatment approach for head and neck cancers. Weight loss due to tumor or tumor-related factors remains a major health issue among head and neck cancer patients. Methods A total of 357 patients were identified for the study. Possible weight-loss predictors were determined in the patients undergoing RT based on the patient demographics, tumor site, and treatment characteristics. Results The mean age of patients was 52 years, whereas the median age was 51 years (range, 18–87). Two hundred and thirteen (66%) patients had oral cavity cancers, 43 (14%) had oropharyngeal cancer, 26 (8%) had hypopharyngeal cancer, 13 (6%) had larynx cancer, and 19 (6%) had other site involvement. A total of 192 patients received 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT), whereas 127 patients received intensity modulated radiation therapy–image guided radiation therapy (IMRT-IGRT), 212 (66%) received concurrent chemotherapy, and 107 (34%) patients did not receive concurrent chemotherapy. A total of 127 (40%) of the patients gained weight during the first week of RT; on the other hand, maximum weight loss among patients was occurred during the third and fourth weeks of RT. Conclusion Analysis by logistic regression determined there is significant weight loss (>10%) in patients receiving radical RT as compared with adjuvant RT. Better outcomes were observed in patients receiving RT by IMRT-IGRT technique as compared with 3DCRT technique.