Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond: Nourishing Our Patients Throughout the Trajectory of Their Cancer Journey

Amy Lewis Madnick; Elizabeth Grace Morasso

doi:10.1016/j.otc.2017.04.003

Changes at the Dinner Table and Beyond: Nourishing Our Patients Throughout the Trajectory of Their Cancer Journey

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2017 Aug;50(4):825-836. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2017.04.003. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

Authors

Amy Lewis Madnick¹, Elizabeth Grace Morasso²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Care Coordination and Clinical Social Work, UCLA Health, 757 Westwood Plaza, B788, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: amadnick@mednet.ucla.edu.
² Department of Radiation Oncology, UCLA Health, 200 Medical Plaza, B265, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

PMID: 28606601
DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2017.04.003

Abstract

Patients with head and neck cancers (HNC) can experience significant distress from presentation of symptoms to surveillance/survivorship and end-of-life. It is of value to all members of the HNC team to practice patient-centered care in assessment and interventions with patients and their support systems to achieve the best possible outcome given patient health status. Early assessment and referral to ancillary support provide a strong foundation across the illness trajectory. Specific attention should be given to the psychosocial implications of changes in physiologic functioning. Support around these changes involves a strong multidisciplinary team familiar with the biopsychosocial effects of HNC and its treatment.

Keywords: Coping; Decision-making; End-of-life; Nutrition; Patient-centered care; Psychosocial; Support system; Survivorship.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Psychological*
Decision Making
Head and Neck Neoplasms / psychology*
Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy*
Humans
Mind-Body Therapies
Nutrition Assessment
Patient-Centered Care
Quality of Life
Social Support*
Terminal Care