P0131 Factors affecting significant weight loss after concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background Chemoradiotherapy is regarded as the definitive treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Treatment often leads to unintentional weight loss for many reasons such as swallowing dysfunction, mucositis, and cancer cachexia. Methods Patients with non-metastatic NPC who underwent chemoradiotherapy between January 2007, and December 2012, were identified through the Ramathibodi Cancer Registry database. Data on patient characteristics, treatment, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) were gathered. Significant weight loss was defined as ⩾10% loss from that before treatment. Factors that affected weight loss after chemoradiotherapy and within 1–3 months post-adjuvant chemotherapy were identified. Findings 245 patients with NPC were identified. 135 patients were included in this analysis. Median follow-up was 35.6 months. Overall, 28% and 39% of patients had significant weight loss after chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, accordingly. The mean percent weight loss from baseline after chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy was −6.9% ± 6.0, and −8.5% ± 8.2, respectively. Baseline BMI ⩾23 was associated with longer overall survival ( p < 0.001). Interpretation Approximately a third of patients with NPC had significant weight loss after chemoradiotherapy and further lost weight after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy. Baseline BMI was significantly associated with weight loss after treatments. Early nutritional interventions could improve treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]