Assessing the acceptability and feasibility of using a computerized food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to determine dietary patterns in survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC).

Authors

null

Jordan Senchak

Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA

Jordan Senchak , Madeline Albert , Brian L. Egleston , Thomas James Galloway , Anshu Giri , Kara Stromberg , Jacquelyn Costa , Jeffrey Liu , Cecelia Schmalbach , Varun Vendra , Carolyn Y Fang , Rishi Jain , Jessica R Bauman

Organizations

Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, Merck & Co, Inc., North Wales, PA, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Temple University Health System, Philadelphia, PA

Research Funding

Institutional Funding
In Vino Vita Young Investigator's Award

Background: Malnutrition and poor dietary habits are associated with worse outcomes and decreased quality of life (QOL) in patients with HNC. Given the lack of standardized assessment of diet in survivors of HNC but the concern for long term malnutrition risk, we piloted a recently developed computerized FFQ that provides individualized dietary feedback (Vioscreen) in survivors of HNC. We sought to assess its feasibility and acceptability and explore associations between diet quality, QOL, and patient/treatment characteristics. Methods: We recruited HNC patients who had completed cancer treatment (radiation alone, chemoradiation, surgery/radiation, surgery/chemoradiation) at least 6 months prior to study enrollment who did not have a feeding tube. Dietary assessment was conducted using Vioscreen. Dietary quality was defined by Healthy Eating Index (HEI) and calculated by the participant’s response. All patients received an individualized feedback report. Patients also completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 and H&N35. At 6 weeks, we administered an acceptability questionnaire on usability of Vioscreen and perceived dietary changes. Results: 50 patients consented to participate. Of these, 34 (68%) completed all initial questionnaires. Of the 34 participants, majority were white/non-Hispanic, male, with oropharynx primaries, and median time from treatment was 68.4 months. Of the 27 who completed acceptability, 15 (56%) considered the Vioscreen tool to be useful, 9 (36%) reported they made changes to diet, and 16 (59%) would recommend to others. Mean HEI score was 63.2 (SD 11.3). There were no statistically significant differences in HEI scores between participants who were male vs female or based on time from treatment. There was a numeric difference in HEI scores for those with oral cavity/larynx cancers vs. oropharynx (58.3 vs 65.6; p = 0.06), and those with bimodality vs. trimodality treatment (66.1 vs 57.3; p = 0.07), but this did not reach statistical significance. There was a significant positive correlation with higher HEI scores and less trismus as reported on the EORTC H&N35 questionnaire (r = .49, p < .01). Additionally, the participants who found the Vioscreen useful were less likely to report swallowing difficulties on the EORTC H&N35 (p = 0.046) and less likely to have had surgery as part of treatment (p = 0.046). Conclusions: For survivors of HNC, Vioscreen was useful to > 50% of participants. Diet quality and swallowing issues were worse in patients receiving trimodality treatment; those reporting more swallowing complaints also reported the Vioscreen tool was less useful. Thus, using Vioscreen as a stand-alone intervention may be insufficient for these populations. Future studies will couple the Vioscreen FFQ with a nutrition counseling intervention.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only: Symptoms and Survivorship

Track

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Sub Track

Late and Long-Term Adverse Effects

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr e24103)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e24103

Abstract #

e24103

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

Abstract

2024 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Opioid tapering and discontinuation for head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.

First Author: Talya Salz

First Author: Farsha Rizwan

Abstract

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

The role of primary care in opioid prescribing for head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.

First Author: Talya Salz