P344 - FEEDING TUBE AND WEIGHT TRENDS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

P344

FEEDING TUBE AND WEIGHT TRENDS IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

M. M. Hjelt^1,*, A. I. S. Holm², H. Primdahl², J. G. Eriksen¹

¹Experimental Clinical Oncology, Dept of Oncology, ²Department of Oncology, Aarhus Universityhospital, Aarhus, Denmark

Rationale: Impaired eating function and weight loss are prevalent in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing curative (chemo-)radiotherapy. We aimed to examine 10-year trends in feeding tube use and weight development to explore the real-world patterns in clinical practice and nutritional outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study included 1618 patients diagnosed with HNC and treated with curative intent at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark (2014 to 2023). Data were extracted from the local DAHANCA database. We analyzed trends in feeding tube use and weight loss using descriptive statistics and mean comparisons with 95% confidence intervals (CI). All analyses were done in SPSS.

Results: From 2014 to 2023, 45% (721 patients) completed treatment with a feeding tube (95% CI: 42%–47%), and the proportions of patients ending their treatment with a feeding tube declined annually throughout the study period from 56% (95% CI: 48-64 %) in 2014 to 36% (95% CI: 27-44%) in 2023.

Mean weight difference from start to end of treatment was a 3.3% loss of body weight (95% CI: 3.0–3.6%) corresponding to 2.8 kg. Throughout the period, mean weight loss increased from 1.8% (95% CI: 0.9-2.8) in 2014 to 3.7% (95% CI: 2.6-4.8%) in 2023, with the highest recorded mean weight loss in 2022 at 5.1%, 95% CI: 4.2-6% (Figure 1, appendix).

Patients receiving a feeding tube had a higher weight loss by end of treatment at 4.9% (95% CI 4.4-5.3%) against 2% (95% CI: 1.7-2.4%) weight loss in the group who was not tube dependent.

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Conclusion: An inverse correlation over time between the declining use of feeding tubes and increasing weight loss trends, raises concerns about possible gaps in nutritional support. These findings highlight the need for further investigations regarding the trends in weight development and feeding tube practices throughout the treatment trajectory.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared