PEG tube dependency after prophylactic placement in 209 head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy or radiation with cetuximab

Abstract

Incidence of PEG tube dependency in our cohort of patients with prophylactic PEG placement is 47,5% at 6 months and 22,4% at 12 months.

Risk factors identified for tube dependency were oral cavity localization, high T‐stage or N‐stage and disease recurrence.

PEG tube dependency is comparable to previous described cohorts with comparable patients with PEG tube on a reactive approach.

The rate of treatment related complications appears favourable in patients in whom a prophylactic approach was used, compared to previous cohorts with a reactive approach.

A risk stratified program with special emphasis on swallowing exercises, speech/swallowing therapy and adequate analgesia could be helpful to decrease tube feeding dependency.

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