Keeping Treatment on Track: New Guidelines on Nutrition Support in Head and Neck Cancer

Summary:

Older adults with head and neck cancer are at high risk for nutrition-impact symptoms, malnutrition, and muscle loss that can disrupt treatment and impair function. This American Society on Aging Generations Now blog post explores the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) new guidelines for nutrition in adults with head and neck cancer. With head and neck cancer incidence rising in adults ages 60 and older, this post outlines practical, guideline-driven steps clinicians and decision-makers can use to strengthen nutrition care for this population.

Key Takeaways:

• Screen for malnutrition early and automate referrals when appropriate. 
• Standardize postoperative nutrition to initiate 24 hours after surgery and implement dietitian follow-ups during and after treatment 
• Protect muscle health in older adults with high calorie, high protein diets

Related Questions & Answers

• When should malnutrition screening happen for head & neck cancer?
  Screening should begin at the first visit to a healthcare facility and continue regularly throughout treatment using validated tools. 
• What is the recommended approach to nutrition support after surgery?
  Early initiation of supplementation (oral or enteral) within 24 hours after surgery.
• Why is muscle loss an urgent concern for older adults with head and neck cancer?
  Older adults may enter treatment with lower lean body mass and higher baseline risk for frailty, sarcopenia, and malnutrition.

Disclosures:

• Carley Rusch, PhD, RDN, LDN, is a Medical Science Liaison for the Nutrition Division of Abbott, in Columbus, Ohio.