Presence and duration of feeding tube in a 5‐year cohort of patients with head and neck cancer treated with curative intensity‐modulated radiation therapy

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Presence and duration of feeding tube in a 5‐year cohort of patients with head and neck cancer treated with curative intensity‐modulated radiation therapy Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Our study assessed post‐radiation therapy (RT) G‐tube presence, duration, and clinical predictors in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods We identified those 1–5‐years post‐RT with stage III/IV nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, laryngeal, or unknown primaries. Logistic regression identified predictors of post‐RT G‐tube presence, Kaplan–Meier analysis estimated G‐tube days, and log‐rank test compared by tumor site. Results The 977 patients had mean age 60.6 ± 11.6 years, 804 (82.3%) male, 764 (78.2%) stage IV, and 618 (63.3%) oropharyngeal primaries. All patients received intensity‐modulated RT (IMRT), 571 (58.4%) received chemotherapy, and 698 (71.4%) prophylactic G‐tube. G‐tube prevalence 1‐ and 5‐years post‐IMRT was 7.1% and 4.8%, respectively. Median post‐IMRT G‐tube days were overall 63 (95%CI: 56–70), nasopharynx 119 (95%CI: 109–131), oropharynx 57 (95%CI: 51–68), hypopharynx 126 (95%CI: 77–256), larynx 53 (95%CI: 21–63), unknown 30 (95%CI: 17–55), of which hypopharynx was highest p < 0.001. Conclusions At an institution offering prophylactic G‐tube for patients with advanced HNC, no differences were found in yearly G‐tube use 1–5 years post‐IMRT. Across all patients, median post‐IMRT days with G‐tube was 63 day but those with hypopharyngeal tumors registered the most days. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.