Enteral tube feeding of head and neck cancer patients undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy in the Nordic Countries: Survey of the Scandinavian Society for Head and Neck Oncology

Multidisciplinary survey on use of feeding tubes in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy in Germany-the SUFEETUBE project

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Data on enteral tube feeding in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy vary considerably between German institutions. This survey aims to investigate the management of feeding tubes in an interdisciplinary context across Germany.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between December 2022 and May 2023, 70 participants (42 radiation oncologists, 12 medical oncologists, 14 head and neck surgeons, and 2 physicians covering several specialties) responded to our web-based survey. In addition to the type of institution (university hospital, private practice, etc.), their age, and professional experience (in years), participants were asked several questions on the indication and institutional policy for tube placement and management (prophylactic/reactive nasogastric or gastrostomy tube). All questions were mandatory single- or multiple-choice questions, while additional comments were possible by email.

RESULTS

Most participants were employed at a university hospital (n = 52; 74.3%) and came from a radiation oncology background (n = 42; 60%). Fifty-four contributors (77.1%) reported that no nutritional risk screening prior to chemoradiotherapy was routinely performed, and 71.4% (n = 50) stated that no standardized protocol was used at the institution to set the indication for tube placement. Generally, policies and methods of tube feeding vary considerably between the individual institutions and specialties. However, the majority (n = 56, 80%) recommended a prophylactic percutaneous enteral gastrostomy (PEG) tube to their patients before chemoradiotherapy. Still, there was no consistent trend regarding the approach for reactive tube feeding.

CONCLUSION

The policies and methods of tube feeding vary considerably between the individual institutions and specialties in Germany. In the era of individualized medicine, uniform protocols are difficult to establish. However, a baseline nutritional risk screening could simplify decision-making in clinical practice.

Application of B-ultrasound for localization and its impact on first-attempt success rates of nasogastric tube insertion in critically ill patients

The objective of this study is to explore the application effect of B-ultrasound positioning in assisting nasointestinal tube implantation in critically ill patients. This study is a retrospective study. In this study, 90 cases of severe patients with nasointestinal tube implantation were included. According to the different ways of nasointestinal tube insertion received by patients, 61 patients with conventional blind insertion methods were included in the blind insertion group, and 29 patients with conventional methods and B-ultrasound assisted positioning were included in the B-ultrasound positioning group. The general clinical data, success rate of catheterization, catheterization time, pyloric passage rate, and target nutritional value time of the 2 groups were compared. The changes of the 2 groups after catheterization were compared by SOFA and APACHE II. The contents of albumin and lymphocyte count were compared between the 2 groups before and after catheterization. The time of target nutritional value of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group was markedly decreased comparing with the patients of the blind insertion group. The index of catheterization time of the patients between the blind insertion group and B-ultrasound positioning group had no obvious contrast. The APACHE II score and SOFA score of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group were obviously lower than the blind insertion group. The contents of lymphocyte count of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group were markedly increased comparing with the patients of the blind insertion group after catheterization, but the contents of albumin content had no obvious change. The scores of respiratory system, circulatory system, nervous system, and urinary system in the B-ultrasound positioning group were significantly higher than those in the blind insertion group, while the COPT scores were significantly lower than those in the blind insertion group. B-ultrasound assisted nasointestinal tube implantation is well tolerated in critically ill patients, and can effectively ameliorate the nutritional status and of the ill patients.

Prevalence and Trends in Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Placement: Results From a 10-Year, Nationwide Analysis

Background

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the most commonly used access for long-term enteral nutrition. Only a few studies report the prevalence and epidemiology of PEG placements. No previous data concentrated on the healthcare system issues influencing the qualification rates and professional nutritional support for individuals with PEG.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective nationwide analysis of PEG placements in Poland from 2010 to 2020. The central data on ICD-10 coding of adult patients with PEG reported to the insurance company were used for the analysis of general and regional prevalence, age, and primary and secondary diseases. Rates of patients with home enteral nutrition (HEN) were calculated with a special focus on patients with cancer. A secondary aim was to determine the causes of regional disparities among administrative regions.

Results

A total number of 90,182 PEGs were placed during the observation period. The number was increasing each year with statistical significance. Malnutrition, dysphagia, and cardiorespiratory/metabolic diseases were the most frequently reported primary diseases. A total of 11.98% of all patients were diagnosed with cancer; 49.9% of oncological patients suffered from head and neck cancer (HNC) and 19.9% from esophageal cancer. In total, 6.61% of HNC and 27.46% of patients with esophageal cancer from the Polish National Cancer Registry (NCR) had PEG. The rates of patients in more advanced ages (65–74 and over 85 years) were growing and decreased in younger groups (18–24, 45–54, and 55–64 years). Overall, 27.6% of all (11.86% of cancer) patients with PEG were reimbursed HEN. A high number of patients in nursing care facilities, lower education of citizens, and lower number of hospital beds were associated with more PEG insertions in the administrative regions.

Conclusion

The number of PEG placements has been increasing, particularly in the elderly. Systemic solutions must be found to address the problems of regional disparities in PEG’s prevalence as well as the lack of inclusion criteria for nutritional support.

Tube feeding in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Head and neck cancer patients are frequently malnourished at the time of diagnosis and prior to the beginning of treatment. In addition, chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) causes or exacerbates symptoms, such as alteration or loss of taste, mucositis, xerostomia, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, with consequent worsening of malnutrition. If obstructing cancer and/or mucositis interfere with swallowing, enteral nutrition should be delivered by a nasogastric tube (NGT) or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

AIM

To revise the studies comparing NGT and PEG in terms of nutritional outcomes, survival, hospitalizations, number of interruptions of radiotherapy, quality of life, swallowing function.

RESULTS

A total of 250 publications were identified via electronic databases. After screening the titles, abstracts and full texts, 26 manuscripts that met the inclusion criteria were included for analysis. We divided the analysis in two sections: 1) comparison of enteral nutrition through NGT or PEG and 2) comparison of reactive PEG (R-PEG) and prophylactic PEG (P-PEG).

RESULTS

Both PEG and NGT are an effective method of providing nutritional support during chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. They are essentially comparable in terms of nutritional outcomes, number of radiotherapy interruptions, survival, and quality of life, whereas swallow function seems better with NGT. PEG may be associated with major complications such as exit site infection, malfunction, leakage, pain, and pulmonary infection and higher costs. Nevertheless, NGT dislodged more often, patients find it more inconvenient, may cause aspiration pneumonia and PEG has advantages over NGT of enhanced mobility and improved cosmesis. P-PEG and R-PEG are essentially similar in terms of nutritional outcomes, number of interruptions of radiotherapy, and survival. Conflicting results have been reported about quality of life.

CONCLUSION

PEG is not better than NGT in terms of nutritional, oncologic, and quality of life outcomes. Prophylactic feeding through NGT or PEG, compared to reactive feeding, does not offer significant advantages in terms of nutritional outcomes, interruptions of radiotherapy and survival. However, the number of prospective randomized studies on this topic is much limited and consequently definitive conclusions cannot be drawn. Overall, it seems that further adequate prospective, randomized studies are needed to define the better nutritional intervention in head and neck cancer patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Complications of Gastrostomy Tubes in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) include various malignant tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract. Due to their anatomical location, HNCs can cause obstruction, odynophagia, or trismus, leading to dysphagia. In addition, this patient group may be vulnerable to treatment side effects both by surgery and oncological treatment, exposing the patients to an even higher risk of malnutrition. The risk of malnourishment is often resolved by applying a feeding gastrostomy tube. The present study aims to identify complication rates after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and open gastrostomy (OG) in patients treated for HNC in a high-volume center.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of all patients treated for a new diagnosis of HNC at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at Karolinska University Hospital between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2018 in whom gastrostomy was performed.

RESULTS

Regarding tumor location, 165 (56.7%) were in the pharynx, 68 (23.4%) in the oral cavity, 57 (19.6%) in the larynx, and 1 (0.3%) in the nasal cavity. PEG was performed in 240 (82.5%) and OG in 51 (17.5%) patients. The overall complication rate was 28.2%: 64 (26.7%) among PEG patients and 18 (35.3%) among OG patients. The incidence of major complications was 3.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms that enteral feeding via gastrostomy is a safe method, regardless of the technique used (PEG or OG), with a low rate of major complications and no mortality linked to the procedure.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 2022.