A descriptive review of the factors contributing to nutritional compromise in patients with head and neck cancer

Malnutrition has been known to be associated with adverse outcomes in cancer patients. Patients who have been and/or are being treated for head and neck cancer have a compromised nutritional status. Nutritional deficits have a significant impact on mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. The wasting in cancer cachexia involves loss of muscle and fat and reflects a catabolic metabolism induced by an abnormal host response to tumor presence and/or tumor factors. Disturbances of various physiological functions like taste, smell, dysphagia, xerostomia apart from cachexia can contribute to long-term nutritional complications and outcome. Improved management of patients in posttreatment for head and neck cancer may require a multimodal approach by a multidisciplinary team and is best commenced earlier in the trajectory of the disease.