Aconselhamento Nutricional em Pacientes com Câncer de Cabeça, Pescoço e Esôfago em Tratamento (Quimio)Radioterápico / Nutritional Cousenling in Patients with Head, Neck and Esophagus Cancer in (Chemo)Radiotherapy / Asesoramiento Nutricional en Pacientes com Cáncer de Cabeza, Cuello y Esófago em Tratamiento (Quimio)Radioterápico

Introdução: A presença de um nutricionista no setor de radioterapia objetiva a recuperação e a manutenção do estado nutricional dos pacientes. Objetivo: Comparar os resultados do aconselhamento nutricional diário com o aconselhamento nutricional semanal em pacientes com câncer de cabeça, pescoço e esôfago em tratamento radioterápico. Método: Foram selecionados 29 pacientes para o estudo e separados aleatoriamente em dois grupos. O grupo intervenção recebeu aconselhamento nutricional diariamente. O grupo padrão recebeu aconselhamento nutricional semanalmente. De ambos os grupos, foram aferidos peso corporal, circunferência braquial ou de panturrilha, avaliação subjetiva global produzida pelo próprio paciente (ASG-PPP) e cálculo do recordatório alimentar diário. Resultados: A maioria dos participantes era do sexo masculino (80%), com média de idade de 62,7 ± 26 anos. A terapia nutricional oral foi necessária para 48% dos indivíduos e, ao final do tratamento, 60% estavam em uso de nutrição enteral. A perda de peso média no grupo intervenção foi de 1,89 ± 2,58 Kg comparada à perda média de peso no grupo padrão de 9,92 ± 6,68 Kg (p=0,017). Metade dos pacientes do grupo intervenção, que iniciaram o tratamento categorizados pela ASG-PPP em A, finalizou o tratamento nessa mesma categoria (41,7%). Mais de 40% dos pacientes do grupo intervenção alcançaram as necessidades calóricas durante cinco semanas do tratamento. Conclusão: Encontraram-se resultados significativos para menor perda de peso em pacientes com aconselhamento nutricional diário que podem futuramente ser precursores de diretrizes que orientem e direcionem profissionais a condutas específicas aos pacientes com esse perfil.

Introduction: The presence of a nutritionist in the radiotherapy sector intends to recover and maintain the nutritional status of the patients. Objective: To compare the results of daily nutritional counseling with weekly nutritional advising for patients with head, neck and esophagus cancer in radiotherapy treatment. Method: 29 patients were assigned to the study and randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group received nutritional advice daily. The standard group received weekly nutritional counseling. For both groups, body weight, calf or calf circumference, global subjective evaluation produced by the patient (ASG-PPP) and calculation of the daily dietary recall were measured. Results: The majority of the participants were male (80%), mean age 62.7 ± 26 years. Oral nutrition therapy was required treatment 60% were in use of enteral nutrition. The mean weight loss in the intervention group was 1.89 ± 2.58 kg compared to the mean weight loss in the standard group of 9.92 ± 6.68 kg (p <0.001). Half of the patients in the intervention group who began treatment categorized by ASG-PPP in A, finished treatment in the same category (41.7%). More than 40% of patients in the intervention group achieved caloric needs during five weeks of treatment. Conclusion: This study found significant results for lower weight loss in patients with daily nutritional counseling. These results may in the future be precursors of guidelines that steer and direct professionals to specific conducts to patients with this profile.

Introducción: La presencia de un nutricionista en el sector de radioterapia intenciona la recuperación y mantenimiento del estado nutricional de los pacientes. Objetivo: Comparar los resultados del asesoramiento nutricional diario con el asesoramiento nutricional semanal en pacientes con cáncer de cabeza, cuello y esófago en tratamiento radioterápico. Método: Fueron seleccionados 29 pacientes para el estudio y separados aleatoriamente en dos grupos. El grupo de intervención recibió asesoramiento nutricional diariamente. El grupo estándar recibió asesoramiento nutricional semanalmente. De ambos grupos se evaluaron peso corporal, circunferencia braquial o de pantorrilla, evaluación subjetiva global producida por el propio paciente (ASG-PPP) y cálculo del recordatorio alimentario diario. Resultados: La mayoría de los participantes eran del sexo masculino (80%), con una media de edad de 62,7 ± 26 años. La terapia nutricional oral fue necesaria para el 48% de los individuos y al final del tratamiento el 60% estaban en uso de nutrición enteral. La pérdida de peso media en el grupo de intervención fue de 1,89 ± 2,58 Kg comparada con la pérdida media de peso en el grupo estándar de 9,92 ± 6,68 Kg (p<0,001). La mitad de los pacientes del grupo intervención que iniciaron el tratamiento categorizados por la ASG-PPP en A, finalizaron el tratamiento en esa misma categoría (41,7%). Más del 60% de los pacientes del grupo de intervención alcanzaron las necesidades calóricas durante cinco semanas del tratamiento. Conclusión: Este estudio encontró resultados significativos para una menor pérdida de peso en pacientes con asesoramiento nutricional diario. Estos resultados pueden en el futuro ser precursores de pautas que orientan y dirigen profesionales a conductas específicas a los pacientes con este perfil.

Acompanhamento nutricional de pacientes em radioterapia / Nutritional assistance to patients during radiotherapy

With the aim of assessing the possible benefits of nutritional therapy, 140 patients were prospectively studied during radiotherapy of the head and neck (81) and esophageal cancer (19). Mean age was 56.0 (17-80), with 114 males and 26 females. Duration of both nutrition and radiotherapy was 78.0 +/- 45 days. Tube feeding was the primary modality in 50.7 of the population, and oral regimens in the remaining 49.3, but associations between the methods were also used. Enteral diets were supplied under the supervision of a specialized tem for home alimentation (PROSNED). Compliance to the program was 100, and a lymphocyte count diminished along this period (1933 +/- 1033 vs 1265 +/- 688, p. 0.001). A subjective improvement was reported by 84 of the population, and total calorie intake, that was below 60 of estimated needs in 100 of the cases initially, significantly improved to just 40 inadequate at the end of the observations. Radiotherapy was associated with mucositis in 21 of the patients, taste changes in 79, xerostomy in 81, anorexia in 66 and odinophagia in 59. In the individuals selected for enteral feeding, side-effects were represented by technical problems (20) and gastrointestinal disorders (13). All patients completed the nutritional support program and there was no mortality in this series. It is concluded that; 1) Early nutritional support during radiotherapy was able to maintain or improve the nutritional status; 2) Tube feeding, alone or in combination with oral diets, was indicated whenever appropriate and contributed to fulfillment of the energy requirements; 3) Reduction of total lymphocytes could not be prevented by the mentioned therapy; 4) Complications of enteral alimentation were mild and affected a small proportion of the population; 5) Troubles induced by radiotherapy were as frequent as expected, and tended to disturb the intake of food; 6) The compliance to the therapeutic plan was excellent and can be attributed to the efforts of the multidisciplinary team as well as to the help of the specialized home alimentation unit (PROSNED): Diet therapy. Cancer. Nutritional assessment. Radiotherapy. Nutritional support.