Tag: Head and neck cancer

According to the National Institutes of Health, enteral nutrition is the preferred method for nutritional support when a patient’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract is functional but they cannot consume enough nutrients orally. Which of the following are reasons why a client may receive enteral feedings? The answer involves a range of medical conditions that interfere with the ability to safely and adequately eat by mouth.

Cancer treatments, especially radiation and chemotherapy, can cause significant side effects that impact a person's ability to eat and swallow. Managing diet is crucial for mitigating discomfort, maintaining nutrition, and promoting healing throughout the treatment journey.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, maintaining proper nutrition during treatment is challenging but critical for recovery. When you have squamous cell cancer in the mouth, focusing on soft, moist, and high-calorie foods can help you maintain weight, boost your immune system, and ease discomfort.

Clinical studies have shown that the 0-7-21 regimen provides excellent symptom control and local disease management for patients with advanced cancers, such as head and neck malignancies. This hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule delivers a shorter, more convenient course of treatment, focusing on improving the patient's quality of life.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) procedures have become increasingly common for patients needing long-term nutritional support. A PEG feed provides vital nutrition to individuals who cannot ingest adequate calories or fluids orally due to various medical conditions, including difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), critical illness, or certain forms of cancer.

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, enteral nutrition is preferred over parenteral nutrition when the gastrointestinal tract is functioning. The core principle of determining the need for a feeding tube relies on a simple assessment: can the patient ingest enough nutrients orally, safely? A nurse should expect that patients who cannot swallow or are unable to consume adequate calories due to specific medical conditions will require enteral nutrition.

The prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, affects up to 40% of people over the age of 65 and is frequently underdiagnosed. The Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) was developed as a quick, self-administered screening tool to help identify individuals who may have swallowing problems and are at risk for nutritional complications. This simple tool can flag potential issues, prompting further medical evaluation to ensure patient safety and proper nutrition.