OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* To determine energy and protein consumption on an average radiotherapy treatment day using the multiple pass method 24-hour analysis of food recall at baseline and treatment end.
* To compare energy and protein by mouth intake from baseline to treatment end.
* To measure and compare diet quality from baseline to radiotherapy treatment end by Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score.
* To determine lean body mass versus fat mass using a bioelectrical impedance analysis machine.
* To compare body fat to lean body mass percentage at baseline with that at radiotherapy treatment end.
* To correlate energy and protein consumption with lean body mass at baseline and treatment end.
* To determine the change in appetite throughout radiotherapy by comparing data obtained by interview at baseline and radiotherapy treatment end.
* To determine the change in performance level (Karnofsky percentage) associated with the radiotherapy through a series of questions asked at baseline and treatment end.
OUTLINE: Patients receive radiotherapy as planned for 7 weeks. Patients undergo an interview on treatment day 1 (before initiation of radiotherapy) and treatment day 35 (after completion of radiotherapy) regarding recent food consumption history and appetite. Patients' standing weight and height are measured on these days and their body composition, measured with a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device, are also taken. Patients' Karnofsky performance score are obtained from their medical record.
