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Prophylactic Feeding Tube Placement in Head and Neck Cancer: Hard to Swallow?
The clinical practice regarding feeding tube use in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer varies greatly. Ongoing research advances, as well as indications for feeding tube use in contemporary practices are required to provide optimal care. Failure to stay updated regarding current practice results in increased treatment associated morbidity.
Reported rates of feeding tube placement during head and neck cancer directed radiotherapy vary greatly, from 8-85%. While prophylactic feeding tube placement is still standard in certain practices, the optimal timing and patient population who stand to benefit from enteral nutrition remains unclear. Moreover, optimizing intake must be balanced against the potential for swallowing dysfunction. In this activity, we explore the contemporary rates of feeding tube placement, the patient populations in which they are most beneficial, and the patient perspective with respect to how this decision is best discussed. In the absence of robust, standardized data, this activity provides practical guidance on feeding tube placement, a significant concern for both patients and their radiation oncology care team.
Topics:
- Does Feeding Tube Use Result in Long-term Dysphagia?
Brittany Krekeler, PhD, CCC-SLP - Feeding Tube Placement AND Removal - A Forever Issue for Head and Neck Radiation?
Thomas J. Galloway, MD, FASTRO - Consensus on Feeding Tube Use for HNC-Related Dysphagia
Maggie Kuhn, MD, MAS - Pragmatic, Forward-Thinking Research at VHA: Prophylactic vs. Reactive Feeding TUBE Placement in Veteran’s with Head and Neck Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy
Katherine Petersen, MS, RD, CSO - The Naked Truth about Compassion…Revealed: A Return to the Heart of Healing
Lee Tomlinson, BS - Q and A
Vinita Takiar, MD, PhD - Moderator
Full Panel
This activity is available from February 4, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on February 3, 2027.
The content was originally presented and recorded at the 2024 ASTRO Annual Meeting.
Target Audience
The activity is designed to meet the interests of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, residents, registered dietitians (RD) and speech language pathologists (SLP).
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Determine which head and neck cancer patients receiving definitive radiation therapy should be considered for a feeding tube.
- Discuss patient concerns related to feeding tube placement and ways to address them.
- Vinita Takiar, MD, PhD, is employed by University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.
- Brittany Krekeler, PhD, CCC-SLP, is employed by University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and UC Physicians. Dr. Krekeler is a member of the planning committee for the Dysphagia Research Society.
- Thomas J. Galloway, MD, FASTRO, is employed by Fox Chase Cancer Center. Dr. Galloway receives honoraria as a consultant for EMD Serono.
- Maggie Kuhn, MD, MAS, is employed by University of California, Davis. Dr. Kuhn serves as Secretary for the American Broncho-Esophagological Association.
- Katherine Petersen, MS, RD, CSO, is employed by Phoenix VA Healthcare System.
- Lee Tomlinson, BS, is employed by the Compassion Heals Movement and Stanford CCARE.
The person(s) above served as the developer(s) of this activity. Additionally, the ASTRO Education Committee had control over the content of this activity. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Available Credit
- 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education for physicians. ASTRO designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 1.25 Certificate of AttendanceThis activity was designated for 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Price
Course Fees:
ASTRO members must log in to the ASTRO website to view and receive the member rate.
Nonmember: $149
Member: $99
Member-in-Training: $49
Student/Graduate Student/PGY-1 Member: $49
Postdoctoral Fellow Member: $49
If you are an ASTRO member from a low or lower-middle income country, as identified by the World Bank, you can receive a 50% discount off your corresponding registration for this activity. Please email [email protected] to inquire about the discount.
Policies:
No refunds, extensions, or substitutions will be made for those participants who, for any reason, have not completed the activity by the expiration date.
Participants using ASTRO Academy activities to satisfy the requirement of a Continuing Certification (MOC) program should verify the credit number and type and availability dates of any activity before making a purchase. No refunds, extensions, or substitutions will be made for participants who have purchased activities that do not align with their MOC requirement.
The activity and its materials will only be available on the ASTRO website until February 3, 2027, regardless of purchase date. At the expiration of the activity, participants will no longer have access to the activity or its materials. ASTRO reserves the right to remove an activity before its expiration date.
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