The development and validation of a quality-of-life questionnaire for head and neck cancer patients with enteral feeding tubes: the QOL-EF.

Purpose: To develop a questionnaire that measures the impact of enteral feeding tubes (EFTs) on the quality of life (QOL) of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients

Methods: The development of the questionnaire (QOL-EF) was done in four phases. Phase 1-3 included: (1) literature review and consultation with an expert focus group (item generation), (2) pilot-testing in 12 patients and, (3) judgmental item reduction. In phase 4, the QOL-EF, FACT-H&N, and UW-QOL were administered to a cross-sectional group of HNC patients on active EFT feeding to test the reliability and validity of the QOL-EF.

Tolerability of the Intergroup 0099 (INT 0099) regimen in locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer with a focus on patients' nutritional status.

Purpose: The Intergroup 0099 trial (INT 0099) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) has set a standard of practice. This retrospective review documents our institutional experience with this regimen.

Methods And Materials: For all NPC patients treated between January 1998 and December 2002 with the INT 0099 regimen, compliance, toxicity, weight change, and feeding tube use were recorded.

Genetically modified foods: a taste of the future.

Technologies for genetically modifying foods hold tremendous promise for meeting important public health challenges in this century. By keeping informed of the ongoing development of genetically modified foods, nurses can effectively educate patients about the benefits and risks of these foods and promote informed decision making.