Inappropriate and insufficient nutrition in ENT tumors

Tumours of the upper aerodigestive tract cause malnutrition in the majority of ENT cancer patients. This situation is complicated by multimodal treatment regimens (including surgery and/or irradiation). The resulting malnutrition is a disease entity in its own right and requires special treatment concepts. Effective screening tools (NRS 2002) need to be introduced and data such as body mass index and bioimpedance analysis need to be gathered. The nutrition plan for individual ENT patients differs according to the grade of malnutrition and dysphagia. Oral nutrition should always form the basis of any nutrition programme, such that logopedic therapy is required in all cases of dysphagia. Artifical, oral high-energy nutrition is a pharmacological procedure as well as enteral feeding via PEG or PEJ. Partial or total parenteral nutrition (central venous access) should be restricted to crisis interventions or fast-track regimens.