Review of the diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia in patients with head and neck cancer
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12873/443cacicedoKeywords:
Toxicidad, Supervivencia, Valoración nutricional, Ejercicio físico, SarcopeniaAbstract
Introduction: Patients with head and neck cancer can present tumors that originate in the mucosa and/or submucosa that lines the oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cavities, giving rise to symptoms that usually affect swallowing and favor nutritional problems of these patients. Up to 52% of patients present malnutrition at diagnosis, increasing to nearly 90% during antineoplastic therapy. Therefore, they are one of the most vulnerable groups to develop sarcopenia associated with malnutrition and dysphagia. The objective is to review the current knowledge on the state of muscle mass, the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia when it occurs in head and neck cancer.
Methods: bibliographic search in PubMed-Medline databases of articles between 2015 and 2022 with previously defined terms.
Results: Patients with head and neck cancer constitute a heterogeneous group in which the prevalence of malnutrition is significant but highly variable. Several diagnostic methods have been developed to assess muscle mass in cancer patients but they are not yet standardized. In addition, there is no specific pharmacological regimen for the treatment of sarcopenia or cachexia at the clinical level.
Conclusion: Nutritional assessment should be a fundamental part of the initial approach to cancer patients and subsequent follow-up. The therapeutic goal is to increase appetite and food intake, attenuate the chronic inflammatory state, and improve exercise capacity and quality.
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