Nutritional needs and experiences of patients with advanced head and neck cancer: a scoping review
Smith, Rebekah Efstathiou, Nikolaos Clarke, Stephanie Owen, Jodie Guo, Ping
Smith, Rebekah
Efstathiou, Nikolaos
Clarke, Stephanie
Owen, Jodie
Guo, Ping
Abstract
Objective(s): Patients with advanced head and neck cancer (AHNC) are susceptible to malnutrition due to disease progression and side effects of cancer treatments. Current evidence on the effectiveness of nutritional interventions is limited. This scoping review aims to identify the nutritional needs and experiences of patients with AHNC and provide an overview of nutritional interventions implemented to prevent malnutrition.
Methods: CINAHL via EBSCO, PubMed, EMBASE via OVID, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched from inception to August 2024, and articles were screened based on predefined inclusion criteria. The Joanne Briggs Institute Scoping Review Framework guided the review. The Patterns, Advances, Gaps, Evidence for Practice, and Research Recommendations (PAGER) framework was used to synthesise findings.
Results: Of 1703 articles identified, 32 met the inclusion criteria, including 13 retrospective studies, 9 prospective studies, 7 reviews and 3 guidelines. Using the PAGER pattern chart, 4 themes were identified: (1) the use of enteral tube feeding, (2) identification and treatment of malnutrition, (3) the effects of palliative treatment on nutrition and (4) the experiences of patients and carers. Enteral feeding was the most common intervention to manage malnutrition; however, other interventions such as dietary counselling, oral nutritional supplements and parenteral nutrition were also employed. These interventions should be tailored to specific needs of the patients.
Conclusions: Weight loss and impaired oral intake were associated with psychosocial distress affecting patients and carers. Future research is needed to explore the experiences of patients, carers and healthcare professionals regarding nutrition and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative nutritional strategies.
MIDER Authors
Date
2025-11-17
Type
Article
Subject
Palliative care, Hospice and palliative care nursing, Diet, food, and nutrition, Head and neck neoplasms, Neoplasms
Collections
Citation
Smith R, Efstathiou N, Clarke S, Owen J, Guo P. Nutritional Needs and Experiences of Patients with Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: A Scoping Review. J Palliat Care. 2025 Nov 17:8258597251390603. doi: 10.1177/08258597251390603. Epub ahead of print.
Journal / Source Title
Journal of Palliative Care
DOI
10.1177/08258597251390603
PMID
41248094
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Publisher’s URL
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/pala