Importance Major weight loss is common in patients with head and neck squamous cell
carcinoma (HNSCC) who undergo radiotherapy (RT). How baseline and posttreatment body
composition affects outcome is unknown. Objective To determine whether lean body mass
before and after RT for HNSCC predicts survival and locoregional control. Design, Setting,
and Participant Retrospective study of 2840 patients with pathologically proven HNSCC
undergoing curative RT at a single academic cancer referral center from October 1, 2003, to …