AOSP23 CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AMONG DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Introduction. Locally advanced head and neck cancers are treated with concurrent chemoradiation. Due to combined modality treatment, the severity of acute side-effects results in poor oral intake leading to malnutrition and dehydration. We present our experience with prophylactic percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube before starting chemoradiation for head and neck cancers. Methods. Between January 2008 and December 2008, we analysed 59 patients (78% male, 22% female) with locally advanced head and neck cancers treated with concurrent chemoradiation and placed gastrostomy tubes prior to the start of treatment. Median age was 50 years (range 18−76). Sites were oral cavity (37%), nasopharynx (31%), larynx (24%), hypopharynx (5%), and others (3%). 26% were AJCC stage I/II, 13% stage III, and 61% stage IV. Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine was given in 71% of patients. Surgery was performed in 10% of patients. All patients received concurrent chemoradiation with cisplatin with median dose of radiotherapy 70Gy at 2Gy or 2.75Gy per fraction (range 55−70).A PEG tubewas inserted before the start of concurrent chemoradiation.Weight was monitored at start and end of the therapy. All patients were followed up weekly during the course of chemoradiation for any complications. Results. The average duration of PEG insertion was 155 days. Mean weight of the patients before treatment and end of chemoradiation was 63.5 kg and 60kg, respectively, with average weight loss of about 3.5 kg. Complications included peri-PEG leakage in 12%of patients, intermittent tube blockage in 5%, and mild to moderate pain especially in the first week of tube insertion in 17%, while wound infection occurred in only 2% of patients. Discussion. PEG tube insertion before the start of concurrent chemoradiation is beneficial in head and neck cancer patients with limited complications. Funding. None declared. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.