Nutrition impact symptoms in a population cohort of head and neck cancer patients: multivariate regression analysis of symptoms on oral intake, weight loss and survival.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of 17 symptoms on reduced dietary intake, weight loss, and survival of patients with Head and Neck Cancer (HNC).

Methods: 635 Consecutive patients were screened (Patient- Generated Subjective Global Assessment©, Head and Neck Symptom Checklist©) before radiation and/or chemotherapy. Multivariate regression analyses were used to relate severity of symptoms to reduced dietary intake and weight loss and identify prognostic individual symptoms impact on dietary intake.