Purpose This retrospective single-institution cohort study aims to evaluate if therapeutic approach, tumour site, tumour stage, BMI, gender, age and civil status predict body weight loss and to establish the association between weight loss on postoperative infections and mortality. Methods Consecutive patients with head and neck cancer were seen for nutritional control at a nurse-led outpatient clinic and followed-up for 2 years after radiotherapy. Demographic, disease-specific and nutrition data were collected from case records. The primary outcome measure was maximum body weight loss during the whole study period. Results The nadir of body weight loss was observed 6 months after radiotherapy. In total, 92 patients of 157 (59%) with no evidence of residual tumour after treatment received enteral nutrition. The mean maximum weight loss for patients receiving enteral nutrition and per oral feeding was 13% and 6%, respectively (p < 0.001). Using multivariate analysis, tumour stage (p < 0.001) was the only independent factor of maximum weight loss. Weight loss was not significantly related to risk for postoperative infection. Conclusions Weight loss is frequently noted among head and neck cancer patients during and after treatment. Weight loss was not found to be associated with postoperative infections and mortality. Nutritional surveillance is important in all patients, but special attention should be given to those on enteral nutrition and those with more advanced disease.

Objective: To study female students’ sexual and contraceptive behavior and compare these results with earlier surveys.Design: Comparative, repeated cross‐sectional surveys, started in 1989 and repeated every fifth year.Setting: Contraceptive counseling delivered at a Student Health Center in Sweden.Population: Female university students (n = 359).Methods: Multiple‐choice waiting‐room questionnaire.Main outcome measures: Sexual and contraceptive behavior.Results: In 1989, age at first intercourse was 17.6 years vs. 16.7 years in 2014, number of lifetime sexual partners was 4.0 vs. 12.1 in 2014, and number of sexual partners during the previous 12 months was 1.0 vs. 2.8 in 2014. Condom use during first intercourse with the latest partner decreased from 49% to 41% (n = 172 in 2009 vs. n = 148 in 2014: p < 0.001), and experience of anal sex increased from 39% to 46% (n = 136 in 2009 vs. n = 165 in 2014: p = 0.038), and 25% (n = 41 in 2014) always used a condom during anal sex. A total of 70% (n = 251) made use of pornography, and 48% (n = 121) considered their sexual behavior affected by pornography. Eighty‐nine percent (n = 291) wanted two to three children and 9% (n = 33) had thought about freezing eggs for the future. The female students’ knowledge about increasing age being correlated with decreased fertility varied.Conclusions: Sexual behavior among female university students has gradually changed during the last 25 years and behavior appears more risky today. As this may have consequences on future reproductive health, it is vital to inform women about consistent and correct condom use and about the limitations of the fertile window.

Aim. To explore individual quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer from diagnosis up to 3 months after termination of radiotherapy. Research questions: 1) Which areas in life are important to quality of life, and which are influenced by the disease and by having oral or enteral nutrition; and 2) Which areas in life are influenced by having a nasogastric feeding tube (NGT) or a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube? Material and methods. Data were collected in 36 patients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using an extended version of the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL) and analysed with content analysis. Results. Negative and positive experiences of quality of life in general were about relation to family, own health, and leisure activities. Negative impacts on physical, psychological, existential and social problems, but also positive experiences are described by the patients related to the disease. More than half expressed eating-related problems. Enteral nutrition entailed negative and positive experiences, and no greater variations were described by the patients with NGT or PEG tube. Overall, there were interindividual variations. Conclusions. The patients’ perception of general or disease-related quality of life was not affected by whether they had enteral nutrition or not. From the patients’ perspective neither of the two feeding tubes (NGT or PEG) was clearly in favour. We suggest that more studies are needed on how the choice of enteral feeding tube can be evidence-based, and incorporating the patients’ perspective.