Effects of different nutritional support methods on nutritional status and immune function in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer

Objective This study aimed to analyze the effects of different nutritional support methods on nutritional status and immune function of patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods Patients with HNC were divided into the control (nutritional counseling and routine dietary guidance), parenteral nutrition (PN) (PN support on top of the control group), enteral nutrition (EN) (EN support on top of the control group), and EN + PN (EN combined with PN and routine dietary guidance) groups. After nutrition evaluation, the four groups were subjected to radiotherapy and nutritional support. Body mass index (BMI), serum albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA), transferrin (TRF), hemoglobin (Hb), CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+, natural killer (NK) and quality of life were compared among the four groups before radiotherapy and after radiotherapy dose irradiation completion. The incidence of adverse reactions was assessed and recorded at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and the end of radiotherapy. Results The four groups experienced some degree of malnutrition during radiotherapy and the EN + PN group possessed the lowest degree of malnutrition. After radiotherapy dose irradiation completion (T1), the PN, EN, and EN + PN groups possessed improved BMI (21.42 +/- 1.62, 21.40 +/- 1.68, 22.98 +/- 1.87 vs. 20.18 +/- 1.32), serum ALB (31.59 +/- 3.49, 32.24 +/- 4.23, 37.58 +/- 3.23 vs. 26.67 +/- 3.03), PA (182.63 +/- 13.57, 183.43 +/- 14.19, 201.59 +/- 10.53 vs. 165.36 +/- 20.13), TRF (162.46 +/- 24.34, 157.36 +/- 18.58, 182.36 +/- 20.37 vs. 137.56 +/- 23.19), and Hb (128.54 +/- 9.21, 125.36 +/- 10.23, 140.26 +/- 7.23 vs. 103.24 +/- 9.47) levels, higher CD3+ (63.59 +/- 2.88, 63.25 +/- 3.17, 66.54 +/- 1.32 vs. 59.36 +/- 3.24), CD4+ (39.92 +/- 3.16, 39.87 +/- 3.23, 43.36 +/- 2.87 vs. 37.12 +/- 4.29), CD4+/CD8+ (1.80 +/- 0.06, 1.78 +/- 0.06, 2.07 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.54 +/- 0.10) and NK-cells (33.87 +/- 3.62, 33.26 +/- 3.59, 36.82 +/- 3.19 vs. 27.36 +/- 4.21) levels, lower CD8+ (22.18 +/- 1.07, 22.36 +/- 1.04, 20.46 +/- 1.09 vs. 24.09 +/- 1.21) levels, and improved quality of life (79.97 +/- 7.96, 80.13 +/- 7.98, 91.78 +/- 7.38 vs. 71.53 +/- 11.70) versus the control group, and the EN + PN group possessed the most pronounced effects (All P < 0.05). During radiotherapy, the incidence of radiotherapy adverse reactions was increased with time (P < 0.05). Conclusion PN and EN, alone or in combination, can improve the nutritional status, immune function and quality of life of patients undergoing radiotherapy for HNC, and PN combined with EN has the best improvement effect.