Effects of radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma under continuous-discrete mixed mathematical model and comparison on the fungal and pathogen infection indexes before and after nutritional supplementation

• Main Authors: Yi Li, Xuan Li, Sahar Issa, Khairi Mohamed Omar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-07-01
• Series: Results in Physics
• Subjects: Computer information health data; Nasopharyngeal carcinama; Fungal and pathogen infection; Continuous-discrete mixed mathematical model
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211379721004812

The study aimed to explore the effects of radiotherapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients before and after nutritional supplementation, and the correlation between nutritional supplementation and infections, using continuous-discrete mixed mathematical model. Specifically, 398 NPC patients were selected based on information and health data. They all accepted radiation therapy, and enteral nutrition was provided through nasal feeding during the radiotherapy. Then, nutritional indicators, and infections were compared before and after nutritional supplementation. The results showed that, the radio-sensitivity coefficient and the age of tumor cells affected radiotherapy effects. After nutritional supplementation, the patient's Hemoglobin (Hb) was 139.26 ± 12.87 g/L, the serum albumin (ALB) was 45.65 ± 3.84 g/ L, the Lymphocyte (LYM) was 1.96 ± 0.68 (×109/L), and the Body Mass Index (BMI) was 26.12 ± 2.63 (kg/m2). Among them, Hb, LYM, and BMI were notably different from those before treatment (P < 0.05). After nutritional supplementation, the infection rates of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida, and actinomycetes were reduced to 26.09%, 17.39%, 9.78%, 5.43%, and 1.09%, respectively, showing notable differences (P < 0.05); the infection rates of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, pyogenic chain Coccus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus viridans were reduced to 15.27%, 12.21%, 3.82%, 6.11%, 0.76%, and 0.76%, respectively, showing notable differences (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the continuous-discrete mixed mathematical model can simulate the effects of radiotherapy on NPC patients. Nutritional supplementation during radiotherapy can reduce the infection rates, thus improving the prognosis of NPC patients.