Abstract

The aim of our study was to investigate whether oral ambulatory nutrition of post surgical head and neck cancer patients with recent weight loss, using two different omega 3 fatty acids enhanced diets could improve nutritional variables as well as clinical outcome. A sample of 65 ambulatory post surgical patients with oral and laryngeal cancer and recent weight loss was enrolled. At Hospital discharge post surgical head and neck cancer patients were asked to consume two cans per day of either a specially designed omega 3 fatty acid enhanced supplement with a high ratio of omega3/omega6 (I) or a omega 3 fatty acid enhanced supplement with a low ratio of omega3/omega6 (II). Serum albumin, prealbumin and transferrin concentrations improved with both enhanced formula. Weight stabilization was reached with both formulas. Gastrointestinal tolerance (diarrhea episodes) with both formulas was good (6.45 vs 5.88%: ns). The postoperative infectious complications were similar in both groups (29 group I vs 15.7% group II: ns). No local complications were detected in surgery wound. In conclusion, at dose taken, omega 3 enhanced formulas with different omega3/omega6 ratios improved serum protein concentrations in ambulatory postoperative head and neck cancer patients with good tolerance.