A nutritional management algorithm in older patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Abstract

e16038 Background: Esophageal cancer primarily affects older adults, who are at highest risk for poor nutritional status due to medical comorbidities, physiological changes of aging and geriatric issues such as altered cognition and mobility. Malnutrition is correlated with poor outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer; however, standardized nutritional interventions are not commonly utilized. Therefore, we performed a feasibility study of a nutritional management algorithm with risk-based guidelines for older patients with esophageal cancer receiving chemoradiation (CRT). Methods: Elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years old) with locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer receiving induction chemotherapy and preoperative or definitive CRT were eligible for enrollment on this single center study. Patients completed baseline nutritional assessment using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) screening scale, and patients who were at risk for malnutrition or malnourished were referred to a clinical dietician for evaluation and counseling. Nutritional status was reassessed after induction chemotherapy, and patients with severe malnutrition were to be referred for enteral feeding tube placement prior to CRT. The primary objective was to determine the feasibility of the nutritional management algorithm based on completion rates of nutritional assessment, clinical dietician referral and enteral feeding. Secondary endpoints included toxicity, functional status and quality of life assessment. Results: Twenty elderly patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer were enrolled, and fourteen patients met criteria for clinical dietitian referral based on poor baseline nutritional status. Induction chemotherapy was associated with improved dysphagia, with 92% of patients reporting improvement or resolution of symptoms. There were no patients who met criteria for enteral feeding prior to CRT based on the guidelines, and only one patient (5%) required feeding tube placement during CRT. In total, 17 patients (85%) completed the nutritional management algorithm and finished the planned treatment course. Rates of hospitalization, grade ≥2 esophagitis, grade ≥3 toxicity and early CRT discontinuation were similar between patients with normal and abnormal baseline nutrition. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a risk-based nutritional management algorithm is feasible in elderly patients with esophageal cancer. The induction chemotherapy approach may ameliorate dysphagia, reduce the need for enteral feeding and facilitate CRT completion in this nutritionally vulnerable population. Clinical trial information: NCT02027948.