Background: HNC patients often experience weight loss during treatment. To date, there is only limited data on patient quality of life (QLQ) and subjective benefit of the PEG insertion.
Objective: To investigate the nutritional status, QLQ, and overall benefit.
Methods: 181 patients fitting our inclusion criteria (01/2012-12/2012) were enrolled. Utilization rate, nutritional status, QLQ, and subjective PEG assessment were determined with electronic charts and the Quality of life-questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30).
Results: The utilization rate of the entire cohort was 91.7%. The PEG was used full-time by 149 patients. No statistical differences in QLQ were observed between the groups. Of the patients that used the PEG entirely (99.7%), partially (85.3%) or not all (55.3%) would 99.7%, 85.3 and 55.8% undergo the procedure in the future if necessary.
Conclusions: QLQ was not significantly reduced by insertion. Especially patients using the PEG full-time had an objective and subjective benefit from the inserted PEG tube.