Outcomes following implementation of guidelines for selecting patients who require a gastrostomy tube insertion prior to start of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for head and neck cancer (H&NCa): A tertiary institution study.

e19586 Background: There is a current lack of consensus regarding the optimal method (nasogastric versus gastrostomy) and timing of enteral feeding for maintaining nutrition during curative intent CRT for HN hypo/naso pharyngeal + CRT; or with dysphagia/severe malnutrition at presentation were identified as high risk, and a gastrostomy tube insertion prior to start of CRT (PGT) was recommended. We evaluated the effect of this institutional policy change on unplanned hospitalization and duration of hospital stay during treatment. Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken on two cohorts of consecutive Pts with H&NCa who were treated with curative intent CRT in the year before (2005, 78 patients) and after (2007, 88 patients) implementation of the H&N-GL. Results: PGT insertion was overall we...