Table 3.

The number of patients with head and neck cancer reporting nutritional impact symptoms (NIS) interfering with oral intake during the past 3 days using the Head and Neck Patient Symptom Checklist^© (HNSC^©). Mean values ± standard deviation (SD) of severity score 1–5

	Baseline, adjacent to initiation of treatment. Total = 197		Follow-up 7 weeks after start treatment. Total = 197		Follow-up 6 months after completion of treatment. Total = 184		Follow-up 12 months after completion of treatment. Total = 177
Total n	n (%)	Mean ± SD	n (%)	Mean ± SD	n (%)	Mean ± SD	n (%)	Mean ± SD
Pain	121 (61)	2.4 ± 1.2	156 (79)	3.5 ± 1.4	89 (48)	2.3 ± 1.2	76 (43)	2.3 ± 1.2
Sore mouth	96 (49)	2.6 ± 1.2	132 (67)	3.4 ± 1.3	80 (43)	2.3 ± 1.2	65 (37)	2.2 ± 1.0
Difficulty swallowing	81 (41)	2.7 ± 1.1	137 (70)	3.4 ± 1.4	83 (45)	2.6 ± 1.1	83 (47)	2.5 ± 1.2
Difficulty chewing	70 (36)	2.7 ± 1.1	112 (57)	3.3 ± 1.3	79 (43)	2.7 ± 1.2	68 (38)	2.6 ± 1.1
Loss of appetite	67 (34)	2.6 ± 1.0	135 (69)	3.3 ± 1.3	82 (45)	2.6 ± 1.0	71 (40)	2.5 ± 1.0
Feeling full	81 (41)	2.2 ± 1.0	108 (55)	2.6 ± 1.2	101 (55)	2.3 ± 1.1	82 (46)	2.2 ± 1.0
Anxious	126 (64)	1.7 ± 1.0	95 (48)	2.1 ± 1.1	67 (36)	1.9 ± 0.9	70 (40)	1.8 ± 0.9
Dry mouth	79 (40)	1.9 ± 1.0	142 (72)	2.7 ± 1.4	137 (74)	2.3 ± 1.2	127 (72)	2.3 ± 1.2
Depressed	67 (34)	1.8 ± 0.8	63 (32)	2.1 ± 1.0	53 (29)	1.7 ± 0.8	41 (23)	1.8 ± 1.0
Thick saliva	80 (41)	1.7 ± 1.1	155 (79)	2.7 ± 1.4	104 (57)	2.2 ± 1.2	109 (62)	1.9 ± 1.0
Lack of energy	88 (45)	1.6 ± 1.0	142 (72)	2.3 ± 1.2	102 (55)	1.8 ± 1.1	93 (53)	1.6 ± 0.9
Taste changes	49 (25)	2.1 ± 1.2	151 (77)	3.4 ± 1.5	119 (65)	2.4 ± 1.2	109 (62)	2.3 ± 1.3
Nausea	26 (13)	2.2 ± 1.0	75 (38)	2.6 ± 1.3	18 (19)	2.2 ± 0.8	24 (14)	1.8 ± 1.0
Constipation	41 (21)	1.7 ± 1.0	78 (40)	2.0 ± 1.1	36 (20)	1.7 ± 1.1	43 (24)	1.7 ± 0.9
Diarrhoea	31 (16)	1.5 ± .8	50 (25)	1.8 ± 1.0	31 (17)	1.7 ± 1.1	21 (12)	1.4 ± 0.8
Smells bother me	23 (12)	1.7 ± 1.0	72 (37)	2.6 ± 1.2	41 (22)	1.9 ± 0.9	33 (19)	2.0 ± 1.0
Vomiting	6 (3)	1.8 ± 0.8	46 (23)	2.9 ± 1.4	8 (4)	2.0 ± 0.8	12 (7)	1.3 ± 0.5