Clinical analysis for pre-treatment sarcopenia assessments in elderly head and neck cancer patients

Abstract

A retrospective investigation of 57 elderly patients with head and neck cancer who were examined and underwent primary treatment in our department was conducted in order to investigate the incidence and effect of sarcopenia on complications. Various nutritional evaluations, body measurements using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and grip strength measurements were performed prior to treatment, and the incidence and background factors of sarcopenia were surveyed. Of all subjects, 29.8％were judged to have sarcopenia. Compared with the non-sarcopenia group, the sarcope-nia group had significantly lower body mass index and body fat, and serum levels of albumin and transthyretin were decreased. Among those who underwent radiotherapy, many continued to use a gastric fistula even after treatment. Among surgery patients, aspiration pneumonia was a frequent complication in the sarcopenia group. There was a high frequency of concurrent sarcopenia in elderly patients with head and neck cancer, and sarcopenia patients had a poorer nutritional status. Sarcopenia patients had many complications assumed to be associated with swallowing disorders, and it is considered meaningful to evaluate secondary sarcopenia in head and neck cancers that cause dysphagia.