Sep 14, 2025
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Poster Session
P301 - WEIGHT LOSS AND CONCOMITANT RADIO-CHEMOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCERS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 160 CASES
P301
WEIGHT LOSS AND CONCOMITANT RADIO-CHEMOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCERS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 160 CASES
C. Ezzouitina1,2, A. Majdi1,2, F. Z. CHRAA1,2, M. Farina1,2, A. Lachgar1,2, K. Nouni1,2, H. El Kacemi1,2, T. Kebdani1,2,*, K. Hassouni1,2
1Department of Radiotherapy, National Institute Of Oncology, 2Medicine, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
Rationale: Weight loss is a frequent and concerning complication during concomitant radio-chemotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (HNC), often related to acute toxicities.
This study aimed to assess weight variation and its association with treatment-related toxicities in HNC patients undergoing radio-chemotherapy.
Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study including 160 patients with HNC treated with radio-chemotherapy at the National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, from Junary to December 2024.
Weekly clinical assessments were performed to monitor acute toxicities (graded using CTCAE v4.0) and body weight.
concomitant radio-chemotherapy consisted of VMAT-based radiotherapy (59.4–70 Gy) and weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m²).
Results: Median age was 42 years (range 22–63).The most frequent tumor site was the nasopharynx (46.25%), followed by the larynx (28.12%), oral cavity (15.62%), nasal cavities (7.8%), and oropharynx (2.21%).
CRT was definitive in 46.9% of cases, postoperative in 32.7%, and preceded by neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 20.4%.
At baseline, BMI ranged from 17.5 to 27. By treatment end (46–58 days), 65.3% of patients had lost >5% of their initial body weight, 18.4% lost <5%, and 16.3% maintained stable weight.
Severe weight loss (>5%) was significantly associated with the presence of ≥2 grade II acute toxicities. Reported toxicities included radiomucositis (grade II–IV: 85.7%), radiodermatitis (grade II: 55.1%), xerostomia (grade II: 34.7%), and ageusia (grade I: 18.4%). Two patients required enteral feeding via gastrostomy.
Conclusion: Significant weight loss is common during CRT for HNC and correlates with cumulative acute toxicities. Early nutritional assessment and proactive supportive care are essential to mitigate malnutrition, preserve treatment tolerance, and maintain patient quality of life.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared