Utility of a perioperative nutritional intervention on postoperative outcomes in high-risk head & neck cancer patients

Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) Prehabilitation: Advantages and Limitations

Cancer prehabilitation is the process between the time of cancer diagnosis and the beginning of the active acute treatment; prehabilitation consists of various need-based interventions, e.g., physical activity, a nutritional program, and psychological support. It can be delivered as unimodal or multimodal interventions. Physical activity, including resistant exercise and aerobic activities, has to be tailored according to the patient's characteristics; nutritional support is aimed at preventing malnutrition and sarcopenia; while psychological intervention intercepts the patient's distress and supports specific intervention to address it. In addition, multimodal prehabilitation could have a potential impact on the immune system, globally reducing the inflammatory processes and, as a consequence, influencing cancer progression. However, many challenges are still to be addressed, foremost among them the feasibility of prehabilitation programs, the lack of adequate facilities for these programs' implementation, and the fact that not all prehabilitation interventions are reimbursed by the national health system.

Effect of body mass index on post-treatment oral function in patients with oral cancer: a cross-sectional study

This single-center cross-sectional study used sequential sampling to examine the influence of body mass index (BMI) on oral function after oral cancer treatment. Patients who completed primary oral cancer treatment between September 2019 and March 2023 (102 patients, 74 male [72.5%] and 28 female [27.5%]; mean age, 69.6 years) were analyzed. Patient background data were collected from electronic medical records. Post-treatment oral function measurements were conducted on all patients using six assessment tools. Statistical analysis was conducted using Pearson's correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance, the Jonckheere-Terpstra test, and multiple linear regression. Pre-treatment BMI showed a statistically significant relationship with postoperative oral function, particularly tongue pressure (P = 0.01). While the mean values of the groups showed no significant differences, the Jonckheere-Terpstra test revealed a statistically significant trend toward a stepwise increase in tongue pressure for each BMI group (P = 0.03). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between tongue pressure and pre-treatment BMI (P < 0.05). Pre-treatment BMI was significantly associated with tongue pressure. Since BMI is a variable factor that can be controlled by nutritional therapy even before treatment, nutritional intervention, weight control, and treatment strategies including reconstructive interventions to maintain tongue pressure may be important in oral cancer treatment.

Exploring the impact of arginine-supplemented immunonutrition on length of stay in the intensive care unit: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

Arginine-supplemented enteral immunonutrition has been designed to optimize outcomes in critical care patients. Existing formulas may be isocaloric and isoproteic, yet differ in L-arginine content, energy distribution, and in source and amount of many other specialized ingredients. The individual contributions of each may be difficult to pinpoint; however, all cumulate in the body's response to illness and injury. The study objective was to compare health outcomes between different immunonutrition formulas.

METHODS

Real-world data from October 2015 -February 2019 in the PINC AI™ Healthcare Database (formerly the Premier Healthcare Database) was reviewed for patients with an intensive care unit (ICU) stay and ≥3 days exclusive use of either higher L-arginine formula (HAF), or lower L-arginine formula (LAF). Multivariable generalized linear model regression was used to check associations between formulas and ICU length of stay.

RESULTS

3,284 patients (74.5% surgical) were included from 21 hospitals, with 2,525 receiving HAF and 759 LAF. Inpatient mortality (19.4%) and surgical site infections (6.2%) were similar across groups. Median hospital stay of 17 days (IQR: 16) did not differ by immunonutrition formula. Median ICU stay was shorter for patients receiving HAF compared to LAF (10 vs 12 days; P<0.001). After adjusting for demographics, visit, severity of illness, and other clinical characteristics, associated regression-adjusted ICU length of stay for patients in the HAF group was 11% shorter [0.89 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.94; P<0.001)] compared to patients in the LAF group. Estimated adjusted mean ICU length of stay was 9.4 days (95% CI: 8.9, 10.0 days) for the HAF group compared to 10.6 days (95% CI: 9.9, 11.3 days) for the LAF group (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite formulas being isocaloric and isoproteic, HAF use was associated with significantly reduced ICU length of stay, compared to LAF. Higher arginine immunonutrition formula may play a role in improving health outcomes in primarily surgical critically ill patients.

Pre-rehabilitation interventions for patients with head and neck cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of pre-rehabilitation interventions such as nutrition and exercise for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases were searched up to December 2022. Quality of life, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, change in body mass index or muscle mass, and functional assessments were the primary outcomes. PRISMA guidelines were adhered to, and the study was registered on PROSPERO. The Cochrane Collaboration tool and Newcastle Ottawa scale assessed the quality of included studies. Pooled data are presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Analysis was conducted using RevMan5.4.

RESULTS

A total of 31 articles were included for quantitative analysis and 15 for qualitative synthesis. Nutrition alone resulted in significant weight retention (2.60; 2.32, 2.88, p < 0.00001), length of stay (-4.00; -6.87, -1.13), p = 0.0006) and complications (0.64; 0.49, 0.83, p = 0.0009). Nutrition and psychoeducation resulted in a significant reduction in mortality rate (0.70; 0.49, 1.00, p = 0.05 and 0.60; 0.48, 0.74, p < 0.00001), and exercise resulted in a significant reduction in dysphagia (0.55; 0.35, 0.87, p = 0.01). Exercise with nutrition resulted in significant improvements in weight loss, length of stay, complications, and dysphagia. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) had a moderate risk of bias and cohort studies were of fair to good quality.

CONCLUSION

Prehabilitation programs based on exercise, nutrition, or psychoeducation demonstrated improved post-interventional outcomes in HNC, such as quality of life, and mortality and morbidity. Studies with longer follow-ups and larger sample sizes, and investigations comparing nutritional supplements with exercise programs are needed.

Enhanced recovery after surgery, current, and future considerations in head and neck cancer

Objectives

Review of the current and relevant literature to develop a list of evidence-based recommendations that can be implemented in head and neck surgical practices. To provide rationale for the multiple aspects of comprehensive care for head and neck surgical patients. To improve postsurgical outcomes for head and neck surgical patients.

Methods

Extensive review of the medical literature was performed and relevant studies in both the head and neck surgery and other surgical specialties were considered for inclusion.

Results

A total of 18 aspects of perioperative care were included in this review. The literature search included 276 publications considered to be the most relevant and up to date evidence. Each topic is concluded with recommendation grade and quality of evidence for the recommendation.

Conclusion

Since it's conception, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have continued to push for comprehensive and evidence based postsurgical care to improve patient outcomes. Head and neck oncology is one of the newest fields to develop a protocol. Due to the complexity of this patient population and their postsurgical needs, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to facilitate recovery while minimizing complications. Current and future advances in head and neck cancer research will serve to strengthen and add new principles to a comprehensive ERAS protocol.

Level of Evidence

2a.

Immunonutrition in major oncologic head and neck surgery: Analysis of complications, plasmatic equilibrium, and costs

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition, in patients with solid tumors, is associated with a worse clinical outcome and about 40% of patients affected by head and neck cancers (HNC) are malnourished at the time of cancer diagnosis. We investigated the potential benefit of a standardized immunonutritional protocol (INP) to patients with HNC receiving major ablative surgery.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted enrolling 199 patients: 50 treated with the INP and 149 with standard enteral nutrition. Complication rates, need for medications, and costs were considered as outcomes.

RESULTS

INP played a protective role in development of major surgical complications (OR 0.23, p = 0.023), albumin administration (RR 0.38, p = 0.018), and antibiotic duration (p < 0.001) and is cost-effective in patients with moderate or severe malnutrition (-6083€ and -11 988€, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study supports the utility of INP, and accurate nutritional screening can help to identify malnourished patients who would receive the most benefits from this protocol.

Pilot randomized, controlled, preoperative intervention for nutrition trial in head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND

Several prospective studies report improved outcomes with pretreatment nutrition interventions prior to radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC), but none have assessed similar interventions before surgery for HNC.

METHODS

POINT, a pilot randomized controlled trial, was conducted to evaluate a multimodal nutrition intervention. Patients undergoing primary surgery with free flap reconstruction for HNC were randomly assigned to the control arm or a preoperative multimodal nutrition intervention.

RESULTS

POINT included 49 patients. Nutrition risk scores did not change significantly for either the intervention or control group. Control patients had a significant decrease in body weight in the preoperative period (p < 0.001). Conversely, weight among intervention patients did not significantly decrease (p = 0.680). The intervention mitigated weight loss in patients with dysphagia (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative nutrition optimization shows potential to reduce weight loss normally experienced by patients with head and neck cancer prior to surgical extirpation, especially among those with subjective dysphagia.

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Cost Comparisons of High-Protein Enteral Nutrition Formulas Used in Critically Ill Patients

Background: High-protein enteral nutrition is advised for patients who are critically ill. Options include immunonutrition formulas of various compositions and standard high-protein formulas (StdHP). Additional research is needed on the health economic value of immunonutrition in a broad cohort of severely ill hospitalized patients. Objective: The study goal was to compare healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and cost between immunonutrition and StdHP using real-world evidence from a large US administrative database. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed using the PINC AI™ Healthcare Database from 2015 to 2019. IMPACT® Peptide 1.5 (IP) was compared with Pivot® 1.5 (PC), and StdHP formulas. Inclusion criteria comprised patients age 18+ with at least 1 day's stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and at least 3 out of 5 consecutive days of enteral nutrition. Pairwise comparisons of demographics, clinical characteristics, HCRU, and costs were conducted between groups. Multivariable regression was used to assess total hospital cost per day associated with enteral nutrition cohort. Results: A total of 5752 patients were identified across 27 hospitals. Overall, a median 7 days of enteral nutrition was received over a 16-day hospital and 10-day ICU stay. Median total and daily hospital costs were lower for IP vs PC ($71 196 vs $80 696, P<.001) and ($4208 vs $4373, P=.019), with each higher than StdHP. However, after controlling for covariates such as mortality risk, surgery, and discharge disposition, average total hospital cost per day associated with IP use was 24% lower than PC, and 12% lower than StdHP (P<.001). Readmissions within 30 days were less frequent for patients receiving IP compared with PC (P<.02) and StdHP (P<.001). Discussion: Choice of high-protein enteral nutrition for patients in the ICU has implications for HCRU and daily hospital costs. Considering these correlations is important when comparing formula ingredients and per unit costs. Among the enteral nutrition products studied, IP emerged as the most cost-saving option, with lower adjusted hospital cost per day than PC or StdHP. Conclusions: Using a select immunonutrition formula for critically ill patients may provide overall cost savings for the healthcare system.

Impact of Nutritional Status on Survival in Head and Neck Cancer Patients After Total Laryngectomy

Malnutrition is an important prognostic indicator of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Retrospective study with head and neck cancer patients who underwent total laryngectomy. 243 patients of both sex were evaluated. The univariate analyses demonstrated an increased risk of death for the patients with greater weight loss, hypoalbuminemia, radiotherapy as an initial treatment, salvage surgery, and radical neck dissection. In a Multivariate Cox regression, older age (p = 0.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.003-1.06, hazard ratio [HR] 1.029), Nutritional Risk Index ≤100 (p = 0.008, 95% CI 1.18-3.12, HR 1.921) and adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.029, 95% CI 0.31-3.12, HR 0.544) demonstrated prognostic significance in survival. Nutritional status is a modifiable variable and these findings highlight the need to adoption of simple nutritional assessment methods routinely during the treatment of head and neck cancer patients, in order to help improve prognosis after surgery.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Nutrition Protocol for Major Head and Neck Cancer Surgery

Objective

To determine whether an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nutrition protocol is reasonably possible among our head and neck cancer (HNC) population with respect to system feasibility and patient compliance. Second, we aim to identify improvements in patient outcomes as a result.

Methods

Preexperimental research design among patients undergoing major HNC surgery after implementation of the ERAS nutrition protocol from July 2018 to July 2019 as quality improvement (QI). Preoperative clinical nutritional assessment and laboratory values were completed the same day as informed surgical consent in the clinic. Protocol focus was patient consumption of nutritional supplements perioperatively, monitored by our outpatient dietitian. Early postoperative enteral nutrition was initiated with monitoring of nutritional laboratory values. To support our model, we provide preliminary analysis of HNC patient outcomes after implementation of the ERAS nutritional protocol.

Results

Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Preoperatively, 40% of patients were malnourished, and 100% complied with perioperative nutrition supplementation. Health care provider compliance obtaining preoperative laboratory values was 56%. There was a strong negative correlation between modified Nutrition-Related Index (mNRI) and number of complications (P = .01), specifically, fistula rate (P = .04) and unplanned reoperation (P = .04). Enrolled patient average length of stay was 7 ± 4.4 days.

Discussion

Our patients demonstrated compliance with implementation of an ERAS nutrition protocol likely facilitated by dietitian engagement. mNRI potentially reflects risk for head and neck surgery complications.

Implications for Practice

QI processes demand reassessment and modification to ensure efficient and targeted approaches to improving patient care.

Preoperative Risk Index Among Patients Undergoing Thyroid or Parathyroid Surgery

Importance

Frailty represents a multidimensional syndrome that is increasingly being used to stratify risk in surgical patients. Current frailty risk models are limited among those undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Objective

To develop and compare preoperative risk indices to determine factors associated with short-term major postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study evaluated 154 895 patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program who underwent thyroid or parathyroid surgery from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2016.

Exposures

Preoperative frailty-related and surgical factors from a derivation cohort were evaluated using simple and multiple logistic regression. Variables potentially associated with postoperative adverse events were subsequently combined into a personalized preoperative Cervical Endocrine Surgery Risk Index (CESRI) and compared with existing risk models using the validation cohort.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Composite variable of any major postoperative adverse event, including death, within 30 days of surgery.

Results

Of the 154 895 operations reviewed, 3318 patients (2.1%; 2296 women and 1022 men; mean [SD] age, 56.1 [15.6] years) experienced a major postoperative adverse event, with 163 deaths (0.1%). Older age (age, ≥80 years: odds ratio [OR], 2.35; 95% CI, 1.74-3.13), inpatient status (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 3.08-4.11), male sex (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.29-1.71), current tobacco smoking (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.48), dyspnea (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.29-1.91), recent weight loss (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.23-2.78), functional dependence (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 2.05-3.69), obesity (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.10-1.60), anemia (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.82-2.52), leukocytosis (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.38-2.14), hypoalbuminemia (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.56-2.23), use of anticoagulation (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.64-2.81), and length of surgery (>4 hours: OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 2.37-3.59) were independently associated with major adverse events or death on multiple regression analysis (C statistic, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.76-0.78). The area under the curve of the CESRI to determine major adverse events, including death, using the validation cohort was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.61-0.64), with a sensitivity of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.64-0.68) and specificity of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.65-0.66). The CESRI outperformed other risk models for determining adverse events (CESRI vs 5-Factor Modified Frailty Index: delta C index, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.09-0.13; CESRI vs American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System: delta C index, 0.05; 95% CI, 0.03-0.07; CESRI vs American College of Surgeons Risk Calculator: delta C index, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.03; and CESRI vs Head and Neck Surgery Risk Index: delta C index, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.03-0.06).

Conclusions and Relevance

This study suggests that the CESRI is able to determine major postoperative adverse events in patients undergoing thyroid or parathyroid surgery.

Immunonutrition in head and neck cancer: Systematic review and metanalysis of its clinical and nutritional effects

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A systematic review was conducted to assess the effects of glutamine, arginine and omega-3 supplementation on the tolerance to treatment, nutritional status and immune function of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy.

METHODS

Randomized clinical trials were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, OpenGrey and Proquest. Tolerance to treatment, nutritional status, immune function and mortality rate were the primary outcomes investigated. Secondary outcomes comprised functional status, weight loss and body composition. Risk of bias of individual studies and the overall quality of the evidence were assessed using the Cochrane and the GRADE tools, respectively.

RESULTS

Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria and nine were included in the meta-analyses, which assessed mucositis severity, weight loss and handgrip strength. Ten studies were evaluated as high risk of bias. Glutamine supplementation has significantly reduced the risk of grade 2-4 mucositis (RR: 0.76, IC95% [0.63; 0.92], P = 0.006, I² = 0%; P = 0.792; 4 studies). Omega-3 supplementation did not show statistically significant results on weight loss (SMD: -0.042, 95% CI [-0.322; 0.238], P = 0.769, I² = 33.4%; P = 0.212; 4 studies). The overall quality of the evidence ranged from low to very low.

CONCLUSIONS

These results must be interpreted with caution due to differences between supplementations regimen, lack of methodological rigor in most studies and due to the possible role of glutamine in tumor metabolism. Studies focused on elucidating the contribution of each immunonutrient to HNC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy deserve further investigation.

Impact of oral preoperative and perioperative immunonutrition on postoperative infection and mortality in patients undergoing cancer surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

Background

Infectious complications occur in 4–22 per cent of patients undergoing surgical resection of malignant solid tumours. Improving the patient's immune system in relation to oncological surgery with immunonutrition may play an important role in reducing postoperative infections. A meta‐analysis was undertaken to evaluate the potential clinical benefits of immunonutrition on postoperative infections and 30‐day mortality in patients undergoing oncological surgery.

Methods

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify eligible studies.

Eligible studies had to include patients undergoing elective curative surgery for a solid malignant tumour and receiving immunonutrition orally before surgery, including patients who continued immunonutrition into the postoperative period. The main outcome was overall infectious complications; secondary outcomes were surgical‐site infection (SSI) and 30‐day mortality, described by relative risk (RR) with trial sequential analysis (TSA). Risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane methodology.

Results

Some 22 RCTs with 2159 participants were eligible for meta‐analysis. Compared with the control group, immunonutrition reduced overall infectious complications (RR 0·58, 95 per cent c.i. 0·48 to 0·70; I² = 7 per cent; TSA‐adjusted 95 per cent c.i. 0·28 to 1·21) and SSI (RR 0·65, 95 per cent c.i. 0·50 to 0·85; I² = 0 per cent; TSA‐adjusted 95 per cent c.i. 0·21 to 2·04). Thirty‐day mortality was not altered by immunonutrition (RR 0·69, 0·33 to 1·40; I² = 0 per cent).

Conclusion

Immunonutrition reduced overall infectious complications, even after controlling for random error, and also reduced SSI. The quality of evidence was moderate, and mortality was not affected by immunonutrition (low quality). Oral immunonutrition merits consideration as a means of reducing overall infectious complications after cancer surgery.

National Surgical Quality Improvement Program risk calculator validity in South Australian laryngectomy patients

BACKGROUND

Assessing an individual patient's post-operative risk profile prior to laryngectomy for cancer is difficult. The American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) risk calculator was developed to better inform preoperative decision-making. The calculator uses patient-specific characteristics to estimate the risk of experiencing post-operative complications within 30 days of surgery. We investigated the ACS-NSQIP risk calculator's performance for Australian laryngectomy patients.

METHODS

The ACS-NSQIP risk calculator was used to retrospectively calculate the 30-day post-operative predicted outcomes in patients who underwent laryngectomy for laryngeal, hypopharyngeal and thyroid cancers (with laryngeal involvement) in two institutions in South Australia. These data were compared against the actual mortality, morbidity, complications and length of stay (LOS) collected from a retrospective chart review.

RESULTS

A total of 144 patients underwent surgical intervention for malignancies with laryngeal involvement. The median LOS was 25 days (range 13-197) compared to the predicted LOS of 6.5 days (range 3.5-12.5). Overall mortality was 2.78% with post-operative complications occurring in 63% of patients. The most common complication was wound infection, occurring in 33% of patients. Hosmer-Lemeshow plots demonstrated good agreement between predicted and observed rates for complications.

CONCLUSION

The ACS-NSQIP risk calculator effectively predicted post-operative complication rates in South Australian laryngeal cancer patients undergoing laryngectomy. However, differences in predicted and actual LOS may limit the usefulness of the calculator's LOS predictions for Australian patients.

Prognostic factors in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The current treatment results of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma still remain modest. Various prognostic factors have been investigated and need to be included in the management decision making.

METHODS

We reviewed the pertinent literature regarding host, tumor, and treatment factors as prognostic indicators that influence outcome in patients diagnosed with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

RESULTS

Host, tumor, and treatment factors all have an important impact upon an individual patient's prognosis with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, whereas staging systems only take into account tumor factors. There is much work yet to be done to establish reliable, independent biomarkers that predict survival and response to treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimal outcomes for an individual patient can be achieved when taking into account tumor, host, and treatment factors.

Impact of nutritional status at the outset of assessment on postoperative complications in head and neck cancer

OBJECTIVES

Half of the patients presenting with head and neck tumor are malnourished at the outset of treatment. Muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) seems to be critical. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of nutritional status and sarcopenia on postoperative complications in head and neck cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study for the period November 2014 to May 2016 included 92 patients operated on for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Complications at 30 days were graded on the 5-level Clavien-Dindo classification. Nutritional status was assessed anthropometrically (weight), biologically (albuminemia and Nutrition Risk Index (NRI)), on CT (muscle mass index at 3rd lumbar vertebra) and functionally (Short Physical Performance Battery). Assessment was made at the outset of management, and nutritional treatment was initiated as appropriate. Potential risk factors for postoperative complications were assessed: performance status, prior radiation therapy, smoking and alcohol abuse.

RESULTS

54% of patients were malnourished on the NRI. 41% had grade≥2 complications. The most frequent complications were infection and healing disorder. The risk of complications was higher in case of malnutrition (62% vs. 17%; P<0.001) and sarcopenia (56% vs. 22%; P<0.01), with 50% longer hospital stay (P=0.04).

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition and sarcopenia are independent risk factors for postoperative complications.

ACERTO guidelines of perioperative nutritional interventions in elective general surgery

ABSTRACT Objective: to present recommendations based on the ACERTO Project (Acceleration of Total Post-Operative Recovery) and supported by evidence related to perioperative nutritional care in General Surgery elective procedures. Methods: review of relevant literature from 2006 to 2016, based on a search conducted in the main databases, with the purpose of answering guiding questions previously formulated by specialists, within each theme of this guideline. We preferably used randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyzes but also selected some cohort studies. We contextualized each recommendation-guiding question to determine the quality of the evidence and the strength of this recommendation (GRADE). This material was sent to authors using an open online questionnaire. After receiving the answers, we formalized the consensus for each recommendation of this guideline. Results: the level of evidence and the degree of recommendation for each item is presented in text form, followed by a summary of the evidence found. Conclusion: this guideline reflects the recommendations of the group of specialists of the Brazilian College of Surgeons, the Brazilian Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the ACERTO Project for nutritional interventions in the perioperative period of Elective General Surgery. The prescription of these recommendations can accelerate the postoperative recovery of patients submitted to elective general surgery, with decrease in morbidity, length of stay and rehospitalization, and consequently, of costs.

Nutrition management for head and neck cancer patients improves clinical outcome and survival

Up to 80% of patients with head and neck cancers are malnourished because of their lifestyle and the risk factors associated with this disease. Unfortunately, nutrition management systems are not implemented in most head and neck cancer clinics. Even worse, many head and neck surgeons as well as hospital management authorities disregard the importance of nutrition management in head and neck cancer patients. In addition, the often extensive resection and reconstruction required for tumors in the upper aerodigestive tract pose special challenges for swallowing and sufficient food intake, placing special demands on nutrition management. This article presents the basics of perioperative metabolism and nutrition management of head and neck cancer patients and makes recommendations for clinical practice. Implementing a nutrition management system in head and neck cancer clinics will improve the clinical outcome and the survival of the patients.

Evidence-Based Support for Nutrition Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Patients diagnosed with head and neck (H&N) cancer often present in a malnourished state for varied reasons; nutritional optimization is therefore critical to the success of treatment for these complex patients. This article aims to review the current nutrition literature pertaining to H&N cancer patients and to present evidence-based strategies for nutritional support specific to this population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Aggressive nutritional intervention is frequently required in the H&N cancer patient population. Rehabilitating nutrition during operative and nonoperative treatment improves compliance with treatment, quality of life, and clinical outcomes. When and whether to establishing alternative enteral access are points of controversy, although recent evidence suggests prophylactic enteral feeding tube placement should not be universally applied. Perioperative nutritional optimization including preoperative carbohydrate loading and provision of arginine-supplemented immunonutrition has been shown to benefit at-risk H&N cancer patients.

SUMMARY

With multidisciplinary collaboration, H&N cancer patients can receive individualized nutritional support to withstand difficult cancer treatment regimens and return to acceptable states of nutritional health.

The Effect of Immunonutrition on the Postoperative Complications in Thymoma with Myasthenia Gravis

Object. To test whether preoperative immunonutrition is efficacious in reducing postoperative complications in patients of thymoma with myasthenia gravis (MG). Material and Methods. A total of 244 patients operated on for thymoma with myasthenia gravis were prospectively assigned to two groups, each receiving seven-day preoperative and seven-day postoperative nutrition. The patients in immunonutrition group were given oral immunonutrition (IN). The patients in control group received oral standard nutrition. Immunonutritional and inflammatory biomarkers (IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3t, CD4t, CD8t, CD4t/CD8t ratio, NK-cell, prealbumin, albumin, white blood cells counts, and C-reactive protein) and clinical variables (age, gender, BMI, performance status, type of thymoma, type of MG, operative time, pathology, operative approach, postoperative complications, quantity of drainage, hospital stays) were examined. Results. A significant reduction in the length of hospital stay, quantity of drainage, and postoperative complications was observed in the IN group (p < 0.05). An increase in the level of IgA, IgG, IgM, CD3+T, CD4+T, CD4+T/CD8+T, WBC, CRP, and NK-cell in the IN group was observed after thymectomy, while a decrease was seen with regard to prealbumin and albumin (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Preoperative immunonutrition support is effective in reducing postoperative complications in patients of thymoma with MG. It helps to lower the risk of postoperative infectious complications and hospital stays.