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Review
. 2025 Jun;26(6):e300-e310.
doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(25)00087-7.

Nutrition in head and neck cancer care: a roadmap and call for research

Xin Chen  1 , Brooke Beilman  2 , Heather D Gibbs  1 , Jessica L Hamilton  3 , Nathan Parker  4 , Andrés M Bur  5 , Jimmy J Caudell  6 , Gregory N Gan  7 , Jill M Hamilton-Reeves  8 , Heather S L Jim  4 , Kedar Kirtane  9 , Chris Lominska  7 , Sylvia L Crowder  4 , Anna E Arthur  10
Affiliations
Review

Nutrition in head and neck cancer care: a roadmap and call for research

Xin Chen et al. Lancet Oncol. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Survivors of head and neck cancer have complex nutritional and supportive care needs. These needs result from the tumour's proximity to organs essential for normal eating function and the intensive treatment targeting those organs. Despite the crucial role of nutrition and supportive care in head and neck cancer, research and funding are lacking compared with other cancer types. This Review was compiled and written by a team of multidisciplinary medical professionals. Topics include poor access to medical nutrition therapy (MNT), MNT reimbursement policies, long-term survivorship care needs, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement, nutrition literacy, psychological services, speech-language pathology care, and concomitant physical activity. The goal of this work is to define current issues in research and practice, advocate for the expansion of head and neck cancer funding opportunities, and raise awareness of head and neck cancer supportive care needs and challenges. This work provides a roadmap for health-care professionals, researchers, policy makers, and funding agencies to prioritise nutrition in head and neck cancer care, with the overarching goal of improving treatment outcomes and quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests AEA has received funding from the National Institute of Nursing Research and conference travel funding from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. AMB has received funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. GNG has received funding from Varian Industries, Aclaris Therapeutics, and Genentech-Roche; and has been compensated for lectures and presentations by IDEO Oncology and CancerNetwork. HDG has received funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and is part owner of the copyright of the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument and receives royalties from its use. HSLJ has had funding from Kite Pharma and has been a consultant for SBR Bioscience. JMH-R has received funding from the National Cancer Institute and conference travel funding from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, holds one patent, and serves in a leadership role for the Rhoades American Society for Parenteral and on the board for the Enteral Nutrition Foundation. All other authors declare no competing interests.