OUTCOMES AFTER THE USE OF GASTROSTOMY TUBES IN PATIENTS WHOSE HEAD AND NECK CANCER WAS MANAGED WITH RADIATION THERAPY

Background. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of continued oral intake and duration of gastrostomy tube placement on posttreatment nutritional outcomes in patients being irradiated for head and neck cancer. Methods. Factors associated with continued oral intake and its association with posttreatment outcomes were analyzed. Results. Patients with no oral intake (39.6% of 91) were more likely to have laryngeal tumors, advanced disease, and pretreatment gastrostomy tube placement. Of the 55 patients whose gastrostomy tubes had been removed, those with continued oral intake and shorter gastrostomy tube placement were more likely to maintain their weight and report eating scores in the higher-functioning category, but have more restricted diets. Observed survival was significantly better for the continued-oral-intake group (p = .001). Conclusion. The beneficial effects of continued oral intake and shorter gastrostomy tube placement on posttreatment outcomes shown in this study suggest that clinicians involved in these patients' care should emphasize oral intake during treatment. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 33: 638-644, 2011