RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Body composition and dietary intake in patients with head and neck cancer during radiotherapy: a longitudinal study JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care JO BMJ Support Palliat Care FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group SP bmjspcare-2020-002359 DO 10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002359 A1 Bing Zhuang A1 Lichuan Zhang A1 Yujie Wang A1 Yiwei Cao A1 Yian Shih A1 Sanli Jin A1 Hongmei Li A1 Liqing Gong A1 Yanli Wang A1 Shuai Jin A1 Qian Lu YR 2020 UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/early/2020/09/11/bmjspcare-2020-002359.abstract AB Objectives To investigate the body composition and dietary intake in the patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) during radiotherapy (RT), and explore the relationship between them.Methods This was a prospective, longitudinal observational study. Adult patients with HNC undergoing RT between March 2017 and August 2018 were recruited. Patients’ body compositions were evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and dietary intake was recorded by 24-hour dietary recall at three time points, including baseline (T1), mid-treatment (T2) and post-treatment (T3). Patients were divided into low, middle and high energy intake groups based on the average daily energy intake (DEI). Changes in body weight (BW), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) among these three groups were compared.Results From T1 to T3, the median loss of patients’ BW, FM, FFM and SMM was 4.60, 1.90, 2.60 and 1.50 kg, respectively. The loss of BW was more dramatic from T2 to T3 than that from T1 to T2. BW loss was mainly contributed by SMM loss from T1 to T2 and by FM loss from T2 to T3. Meanwhile, patients’ dietary intake reduced during treatment. High DEI group had a significantly attenuated loss of patients’ BW, FFM, SMM and FM compared with the low DEI group.Conclusion Patients’ BW, FM, FFM and SMM all significantly reduced, especially from T2 to T3, with decreased DEI during RT, which stresses the importance of nutrition intervention during the whole course of RT.