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Nutrition Management for the Head and Neck Cancer Patient

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Multidisciplinary Care of the Head and Neck Cancer Patient

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 174))

Abstract

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients often face multiple nutritional challenges before, during, and after treatment due to the close proximity of the cancer to organs that are vital for normal eating function. Common treatment-related side effects, such as dysphagia, odynophagia, dysgeusia, xerostomia, thick saliva, mucositis, nausea, and vomiting, all further impair the patient’s ability to maintain adequate oral intake. Malnutrition and unintentional weight loss in HNC patients during and after treatment are associated with poorer treatment outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality, and poor quality of life, even in overweight and obese patients whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is not suggestive of malnutrition. The main nutrition goal for HNC patients is thus to maximize nutrition intake either orally or through nutrition support therapy in order to prevent or limit weight loss, preserve lean body mass, minimize treatment delays and unplanned hospitalizations, and improve treatment outcomes. This chapter will discuss nutrition interventions to manage common symptoms before, during, and after treatment for HNC. Guidelines will be provided for patients that require enteral nutrition or less commonly, parenteral nutrition.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    Denise Ackerman & Adern Yu

  2. Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Meghan Laszlo & Arlene Provisor

Authors
  1. Denise Ackerman
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  2. Meghan Laszlo
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  3. Arlene Provisor
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  4. Adern Yu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arlene Provisor .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA

    Ellie Maghami

  2. Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Allen S. Ho

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Ackerman, D., Laszlo, M., Provisor, A., Yu, A. (2018). Nutrition Management for the Head and Neck Cancer Patient. In: Maghami, E., Ho, A. (eds) Multidisciplinary Care of the Head and Neck Cancer Patient. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 174. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65421-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65421-8_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65421-8

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