PD670 - TIMING MATTERS: PROPHYLACTIC GASTROSTOMY IMPROVES OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER UNDERGOING CHEMORADIOTHERAPY

PD670

TIMING MATTERS: PROPHYLACTIC GASTROSTOMY IMPROVES OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WITH HEAD AND NECK CANCER UNDERGOING CHEMORADIOTHERAPY

D. Hakimian^1,*, E. Rinott¹, Y. Sharif¹, E. Forkosh¹

¹ Gastroentrology, hadassah medical center, Jerusalem, Israel

 

Rationale: Percutaneous endoscopic (PEG) and radiologic (RIG) gastrostomy are widely used for nutritional support in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy, but the optimal timing of placement remains controversial. This study compares long-term clinical and nutritional outcomes between prophylactic and delayed gastrostomy placement

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX network comparing HNC patients with prophylactic gastrostomy (±14 days of CRT) versus delayed placement (≥6 months). After 1:1 propensity score matching, short- and long-term outcomes (1–5 years) included survival, complications, mortality, nutritional status, and healthcare utilization

Results:

 

After propensity score matching, prophylactic gastrostomy was associated with improved overall survival and better maintenance of nutritional status compared with delayed placement, with fewer nutrition-related complications over time. Rates of gastrostomy-related complications and overall healthcare utilization were comparable between groups (Table 1, Figure 1))

 

Image:

 

Conclusion: In this large propensity-matched cohort, prophylactic gastrostomy before CRT was associated with improved survival, better nutrition, and fewer complications, supporting early nutritional intervention in high-risk HNC patients

Disclosure of Interest: None declared