Diet and Eating Difficulties Affect Exercise Suitability in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Beginning Radiation: 1554 Board #6 May 31 1 00 PM - 3 00 PM

PURPOSE: Determine if head and neck cancer (HNCa) patients are suitable candidates for exercise training based on macronutrient intake. Also, identify macronutrient associations with fatigue, lean mass, strength, physical functioning, and eating difficulties. METHODS: Cross-sectional 3-day food diary data from 23 HNCa patients initiating radiation therapy were analyzed. Self-administered survey assessed demographics. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) measured eating difficulties (additional concerns subscale items) and fatigue (higher score indicated greater fatigue). Lean mass was measured by bioelectric impedance, strength by handgrip dynamometer, and physical functioning by a physical performance battery. Associations were analyzed with Spearman correlations. RESULTS: Participants were 60±10.8 years of age, 96% Caucasian, and 70% male with a mean body mass index of 28.75±6.5. The most frequent cancer stage was IV and site was oropharynx (61% and 70%, respectively). Difficulty swallowing, difficulty eating solid foods, and mouth pain was reported by 43%, 35%, and 48%, respectively. The mean macronutrient intake (g/day) was 249 ± 85 of carbohydrate (CHO), 81 ± 34 of fat, and 83 ± 39 of protein (PTN) with 33% reporting intake of less than 0.8 g/kg/day of PTN. Fatigue was associated with percent kilocalories from CHO (r=0.52, p=.02) and PTN (r=-0.48, p=0.03). Lean mass was positively correlated with total intake of CHO (r=0.46, p=.04), fats (r=0.54, p=.01), PTN (r=0.64, p,>.01) and kilocalories (r=0.56, p=.01). No significant correlations were observed between macronutrients and strength or physical functioning. Fat intake was positively correlated with greater ability to swallow (r=0.66, p