Effect of Nutritional Intervention on the Management of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the application of nutritional intervention in the management of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods There were 60 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were treated with chemoradiotherapy in our department from June 2020 to August 2022, including 30 subjects from the control group and 30 cases from the intervention group. Results (1) In 2002, the 3-week and 24-week NRS scores for radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the control group were higher than those in the intervention group (2.36 ± 0.85 and 1.86 ± 0.57, p = 0.014; 2.76 ± 0.77 and 2.43 ± 0.77, p = 0.023), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05) (Table 2). (2) The weight of patients in the two groups after 3 wk and 24 wk of radiotherapy and chemotherapy were compared, and we found that the weights of the control group were lower than those of the intervention group (66.13 ± 5.53 and 69.03 ± 5.22, p = 0.037; 61.03 ± 5.83 and 64.93 ± 6.85, p = 0.044), and again, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05) (Table 3). At week 10 of chemoradiotherapy, the control group lost ≥10% of their weight in the intervention group, and severe malnutrition occurred. The control group lost ≥5% of their weight at 24 wk of chemoradiotherapy and developed malnutrition. (3) The quality of life (measured by the SF-36 scale score) after 24 wk between the two groups was compared, and the control group was lower than the intervention group in all aspects, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05) (Table 4). Conclusion Nutritional intervention is used in the whole management of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma to improve patient nutritional status and quality of life.