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. 2022 Jul;30(7):5779-5788.
doi: 10.1007/s00520-022-06984-w. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Association between oral health and advisability of oral feeding in advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care: a cross-sectional study

Junichi Furuya  1   2 , Hiroyuki Suzuki  3 , Rena Hidaka  4 , Chiaki Matsubara  5 , Yuko Motomatsu  6 , Yuji Kabasawa  7 , Haruka Tohara  2 , Yuji Sato  1 , Satoshi Miyake  8 , Shunsuke Minakuchi  5
Affiliations

Association between oral health and advisability of oral feeding in advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care: a cross-sectional study

Junichi Furuya et al. Support Care Cancer. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: Maintenance of oral feeding is important in terms of maintaining and improving the quality of life in terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care. Although adequate oral health status is essential for oral feeding in hospitalized patients, the relationship between oral health and oral feeding in patients receiving palliative care remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine how the general condition and oral health status of these patients relate to decisions regarding their nutritional intake methods.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 103 terminal cancer patients (59 men and 44 women; mean age, 73.8 ± 10.9 years) who received palliative care between April 2017 and August 2019. The nutritional method was assessed using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). We assessed two types of nutritional methods: (1) the method advised by the attending physician until the initial dental examination (FOIS-I) and (2) the recommended method based on consultation with a palliative care doctor and dentist after the initial oral examination (FOIS-R). Furthermore, the participants' basic information and Dysphagia Severity Scale (DSS) and Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) scores were assessed.

Results: There was a divergence between FOIS-I and FOIS-R. FOIS-R was significantly higher than FOIS-I (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the time until death, DSS score, and OHAT score had a significant impact on determining the food form for oral feeding.

Conclusions: Appropriate oral health assessment is important in determining the food form and indication for oral feeding among patients receiving palliative care.

Keywords: Dysphagia; Nutrition; Oral health; Palliative care; Swallowing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Enrollment process for this retrospective cross-sectional study. Abbreviation: FOIS-R Functional Oral Intake Scale after revision
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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