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. 2022 Jun;37(3):615-624.
doi: 10.1002/ncp.10760. Epub 2021 Aug 31.

Blenderized food tube feeding in patients with head and neck cancer

Amy Y Spurlock  1 , Teresa W Johnson  2 , Ali Pritchett  3 , Leah Pierce  3 , Jenna Hussey  1 , Kelly Johnson  1 , Holly Carter  1 , Stephen L Davidson  4 , Manpreet S Mundi  5 , Lisa Epp  6 , Ryan T Hurt  7
Affiliations

Blenderized food tube feeding in patients with head and neck cancer

Amy Y Spurlock et al. Nutr Clin Pract. 2022 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Patients with headand neck cancer (HNC) are at high risk for malnutrition before and during chemoradiation treatment. Many will also require tube feeding to address declines in energy intake, weight, and quality of life (QOL) caused by the impact of treatment on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Blenderized tube feeding (BTF) may ameliorate these adverse conditions.

Methods: In this open-label, prospective pilot study, 30 patients with HNC who required feeding tube placement were recruited to switch from standard commercial formula after 2 weeks to a commercially prepared BTF formula. Weight, body mass index (BMI), GI symptoms, and QOL scores were tracked for 6 weeks from the first week of feeding tube placement.

Results: Of the 16 patients who completed the 6-week assessment period, weights and BMI scores for 15 patients trended upward. For most patients, QOL and oral intake increased and GI symptoms decreased over the 6-week period, particularly during weeks 3 and 4, when the impact of treatment is particularly exacting on patients with HNC.

Conclusion: BTF effectively mitigated weight loss, GI symptoms, QOL scores, and total energy intake in this group of patients with HNC who received tube feeding for 6 weeks.

Keywords: blenderized tube feeding; enteral nutrition; head and neck cancer; malnutrition; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ryan T. Hurt is a consultant for Nestlé Nutrition and Lisa Epp is a consultant for Abbott Nutrition, Nestlé Nutrition, and Halyard Avanos. Manpreet S. Mundi has received research grant funding from Nestlé, Fresenius Kabi, and Real Food Blends. All others report no conflicts.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean weight of participants over time
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean BMI of participants over time. BMI, body mass index
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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