Heads Up: a pilot trial of a psychological intervention to improve nutrition in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy

Malnutrition in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients is common and associated with poorer radiotherapy outcomes including increased mortality. This pilot trial investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of a psychological intervention to improve nutritional status, depression and mortality in HNC patients undergoing radiotherapy. Fifty-nine intervention patients received motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy compared to 70 historical controls who received treatment as usual. Participants were assessed for nutrition, depression and mortality. There were no significant differences between groups in nutritional status, depression or mortality. Subgroup analyses among patients at greater nutritional risk (cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx) revealed a potentially clinically important reduction on the PG-SGA and lower mortality (31% of controls vs. 16% intervention; P=0.03) in favour of the intervention condition. Potential benefits in nutritional status and in mortality in this pilot trial of a psychological intervention among HNC patients at high nutritional risk suggest that a larger randomised controlled trial is warranted.