Adequacy of nutritional support using computed tomography (CT) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) during chemo-radiotherapy (CRT)

We assessed forty HNC patients receiving treatment with curative intent. Specific quantitative muscle and fat changes were evaluated using CT. Nutrition support was provided according to ESPEN guidelines, with adjusted body weight (ABW) in overweight/obese patients used to define their nutritional targets. Linear regression models were used to evaluate clinical predictors of tissue loss. Mean overall losses were body weight (−10.5%), and CT-defined muscle (−8.4%) and fat mass (−24.8%), p < 0.001. A subset of 20 patients had high muscle loss (−14.7%) with concurrent negative energy balance as reflected by considerable fat loss (−29.7%); those tended to have higher baseline body mass index (26.2 vs. 23.3 kg/m 2 , p = 0.063). In multivariate regression, only ABW independently predicted muscle loss ( p < 0.001) and fat loss ( p = 0.002). Nutrition support according to guidelines was appropriate for a subset of patients. ABW use to set nutrition targets in overweight/obese patients would appear to be insufficient, based on large tissue losses.