[Hypercaloric nutrition of patients with cancers of the head and neck region].

Patients with head and neck cancer and nutritional problems were treated by hypercaloric nutrition as supportive measure alongside surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Improved healing of wounds after surgery and better tolerance of radiotherapy and chemotherapy proved the success of this measure. Enteral nutrition via naso-gastric tube was preferred to parenteral nutrition offering the possibility to continue nutrition on an outpatient basis. The amount of calorie intake depends primarily on patient compliance. Hypercaloric nutrition exercises a highly positive influence on basic cancer therapy of head and neck tumours.