Nutrition in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a review

Article: Effects of induction chemotherapy on nutrition status in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre prospective study

Locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a type of head and neck cancer. Induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the most common standard of care. However, due to the toxicity and intensity of these treatments, patients’ nutritional statuses are often negatively impacted. Weight loss and malnutrition are often overlooked in head and neck cancer patients, despite the fact that around half of all head and neck cancer patients suffer from malnutrition. This negatively affects their quality of life, affecting physical functioning, nausea and vomiting and can even affect emotional and cognitive functioning. This study supports the need to monitor patients’ nutritional statuses during the later phase of treatments and work on nutritional interventions.

This review by Miao J et al. aimed to explore the need for nutritional interventions in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Key learnings

Malnutrition is an important yet overlooked quality of life issue in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. This study highlights the importance of applying nutritional interventions to patients undergoing treatment for this disease.

Reviewed by: Z. Beketova