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Clinical nutrition

Quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer after prophylactic percutaneous-gastrostomy

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 74, pages 565–572 (2020)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

HNC patients often experience weight loss during treatment. To date, there is only limited data on patient quality of life (QLQ) and subjective benefit of the PEG insertion.

Objective

To investigate the nutritional status, QLQ, and overall benefit.

Methods

181 patients fitting our inclusion criteria (01/2012–12/2012) were enrolled. Utilization rate, nutritional status, QLQ, and subjective PEG assessment were determined with electronic charts and the Quality of life-questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30).

Results

The utilization rate of the entire cohort was 91.7%. The PEG was used full-time by 149 patients. No statistical differences in QLQ were observed between the groups. Of the patients that used the PEG entirely (99.7%), partially (85.3%) or not all (55.3%) would 99.7%, 85.3 and 55.8% undergo the procedure in the future if necessary.

Conclusions

QLQ was not significantly reduced by insertion. Especially patients using the PEG full-time had an objective and subjective benefit from the inserted PEG tube.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Johannes Hausmann, Alica Kubesch

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine 1, Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany

    Johannes Hausmann, Alica Kubesch, Carmen M. Goettlich, Astrid Wächtershäuser, Jörg Bojunga & Irina Blumenstein

  2. Institute of Biostatistics and Math Modeling, Goethe-University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany

    Julia Rey

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The authors have contributed to the manuscript by planning the study (Blumenstein, Bojunga, Wächtershäuser), collecting the data (Hausmann, Göttlich, Wächtershäuser), analysis and interpretation of data (Hausmann, Kubesch, Blumenstein, Goettlich, Rey), and preparation (Kubesch, Hausmann, Blumenstein) and revision of the manuscript (all authors).

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Correspondence to Alica Kubesch.

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Hausmann, J., Kubesch, A., Goettlich, C.M. et al. Quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer after prophylactic percutaneous-gastrostomy. Eur J Clin Nutr 74, 565–572 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-019-0499-5

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