Randomized trial of multidisciplinary team support for patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer

Patients with head and neck malignant tumors undergoing radiotherapy (RT) frequently face significant nutritional and psychological challenges, often leading to RT interruptions. A randomized controlled trial at West China Hospital of Sichuan University evaluated Supportive Holistic Interventions by Nurses and Experts via Multidisplicary Team (SHINE-MDT), a framework to coordinate nutritional, psychological, and rehabilitation support for these patients. The trial included patients who were randomized 1:1 to SHINE-MDT or usual care (UC). Among 233 patients, 42 (18.0%) had RT interruptions, including 29 (25.0%) in the UC group and 13 (11.1%) in the SHINE-MDT group (p=0.003). Fatigue was the predominant reason for RT interruptions (55.2%), whereas leukopenia accounted for most interruptions in the SHINE-MDT group (46.2%). Patients in the SHINE-MDT group also had superior secondary outcomes compared to the UC patients. The authors conclude that the SHINE-MDT framework may improve the holistic well-being of patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (visual abstract).