NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN POST-CHEMORADIOTHERAPY ORAL CANCER PATIENTS: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the nutritional status, functional oral outcomes, biochemical nutritional markers, and “quality of life (QoL)” in patients with oral cancer who have completed chemoradiotherapy, to identify factors influencing recovery and guide supportive care.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Taibah University Dental College and Hospital,
Saudi Arabia, from January 2022 to December 2023. Fifty oral cancer patients post-chemoradiotherapy were enrolled.
Nutritional status was assessed using the “Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA)” and
anthropometric measurements. Functional oral outcomes including maximal interincisal opening and xerostomia
severity were evaluated. Biochemical markers such as serum albumin and “C-reactive protein (CRP)” were measured.
QoL was measured with the QLQ-H&N35 and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Relationships between nutrition,
function, biochemical markers, and QoL domains were analyzed.
Results: The cohort comprised 60% males and 40% females, mean age 54.3 ± 11.2 years. Malnutrition was identified
in 56% of patients. Functional impairments included a 40% trismus prevalence and moderate to severe xerostomia in
52%. Hypoalbuminemia and elevated CRP were present in 46% and 38% respectively. Malnourished patients exhibited significantly poorer QoL scores, especially in swallowing, pain, and social eating domains (p<0.01). Time since treatment completion correlated with nutritional and QoL improvement.
Conclusion: Malnutrition, functional deficits, and biochemical markers of inflammation are prevalent and interrelated in oral cancer survivors post-chemoradiotherapy, adversely impacting QoL. Multidisciplinary interventions addressing nutrition, oral function, and inflammation are critical for optimizing recovery.