Table II.

Characteristics for weight loss during the acute phase (n = 432). Weight change percent at five months after the end of radiotherapy (RT) is shown in relation to initial weight taken at the start of RT (mean [SD]).

	Acute phase Weight change (%), mean [SD]
Characteristics	All	P*	Missing
Weight change total	−11.3 [8.6]
Age
< 65 years  ≥ 65 years	−12.0 [8.1] −10.1 [9.3]	0.032	−
Sex
Male  Female	−11.6 [8.5] −10.7 [8.9]	0.371	−
Site
Oropharynx  Larynx  Hypopharynx  Oral cavity	−13.7 [7.9] −8.6 [7.7] −8.4 [9.8] −9.0 [8.9]	< 0.001 ‡ 0.002 §	−
Clinical stage
I  II  III  IV	−11.8 [6.5] −10.0 [8.2] −10.2 [8.0] −12.4 [8.6]	0.088 – 0.999‖	−
BMI†
Underweight  Normal weight  Overweight/obese	−3.5 [9.1] −9.3 [7.5] −14.5 [7.3]	< 0.001 ¶ 0.003**	178
Treatment modality
CF  AF	−11.3 [8.1] −11.4 [9.0]	0.839	−
Surgery
Yes  No	−12.1 [8.0] −10.9 [9.0]	0.150	−
Karnofsky start
< 80   ≥ 80	−5.9 [10.3] −11.6 [8.4]	0.002	21
Swallowing problems start RT
Yes  No	−7.1 [10.4] −11.7 [8.3]	0.003	1
Swallowing problems end RT
Yes  No	−11.9 [8.8] −10.1 [7.9]	0.076	14
Mucositis end RT
Yes  No	−12.0 [8.3] −6.6 [9.3]	< 0.001	21
Use of opioid analgesics start RT
Yes  No	−10.4 [10.7] −11.4 [8.4]	0.547	3
Use of opioid analgesics end RT
Yes  No	−12.1 [8.6] −10.8 [8.6]	0.118	15
Tube feeding start RT
Yes  No	−5.7 [11.0] −11.8 [8.3]	< 0.001	4
Tube feeding end RT
Yes  No	−10.8 [9.2] −11.9 [8.1]	0.212	17

*p-value controlled by Independent samples T-test or One way ANOVA; ^† Underweight: BMI < 20 (BMI < 22 if ≥ 70 years); normal weight: BMI 20–25 (BMI 22–27 if ≥ 70years); overweight/obese: BMI > 25 (BMI > 27 if ≥ 70 years); ^‡ p-value when comparing tumor of the oropharynx against tumors of the larynx and hypopharynx; ^§ p-value when comparing tumor of the oropharynx against tumor of the oral cavity; ^‖ no significant values for weight change, range p-values (min, max); ^¶ p-value when comparing BMI overweight/obese with BMI underweight and BMI normal weight; **p-value when comparing BMI underweight with BMI normal weight.