Poster Presentation 2025 Joint Meeting of the COSA ASM and IPOS Congress

'Should We Talk About It?’ An International Survey of Patient and Carer Perspectives on Sarcopenia Communication in Head and Neck Cancer (126583)

Lauren Hanna 1 , Merran Findlay 2 3 , Judy Bauer 1
  1. Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Notting Hill, VIC, Australia
  2. Maridulu Budyari Gumal (SPHERE) Cancer Clinical Academic Group, South Western Sydney Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Purpose: Identification and treatment of sarcopenia in patients with cancer is an area of global focus due to its association with poor outcomes including survival. Little is known about patient and carer perspectives on discussing sarcopenia during cancer care. This study sought to investigate these perspectives in head and neck cancer (HNC) where prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia is high.

Sample and setting: Adults who had completed curative treatment for HNC between three months and five years ago (or their carers), and who received dietetic intervention during treatment were eligible. Participants were recruited via online cancer support groups (UK, Australia) and consumer email lists.

Procedures: A cross-sectional online survey collected demographic information, prior awareness of sarcopenia, recollections of clinical discussions and responses to written and visual explanations of the condition.

Results: Fifty respondents (82% patients, 18% carers; 80% female; mean (SD) age 53 (10) years participated, mostly from Australia (60%) and the UK (28%). The most common tumour sites were oral cavity (44%) and pharynx (38%). Although 57% of participants had heard of ‘low muscle mass’ only 13% recognised the term ‘sarcopenia’, and just 13% specifically recalled a health professional discussing the issue during treatment. After reading an explanation of the risks, 95% agreed sarcopenia should be discussed, though 56% acknowledged the topic might be distressing for patients. Visual aids were considered helpful by 73% of participants and 93% believed they should be used in patient and carer communication to improve understanding.

Conclusion and clinical implications: Few participants recalled discussing sarcopenia or low muscle mass during treatment, and familiarity with these terms was limited. Despite this, most agreed the topic should be addressed in cancer care and supported the use of visual aids to improve understanding. These findings highlight an opportunity to strengthen patient communication and engagement in sarcopenia-related care.