Principles of feeding cancer patients via enteral or parenteral nutrition during radiotherapy.
BACKGROUND
The nutritional status of cancer patients is frequently impaired already before any therapy starts and may deteriorate even more by radio(chemo)therapy.


METHODS
This review describes the possibilities and risks of enteral and parenteral nutrition during radiotherapy. The indications of enteral nutrition will be derived from own results.


RESULTS
Enteral nutrition is the most preferable way of artificial long-term nutrition. In a prospective non-randomized trial we demonstrated that enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) not only improves the anthropometric and biochemical parameters during radio(chemo)therapy but also the quality of life of patients with advanced cancers of the head and neck. Moreover supportive use of megestrolacetate can improve the nutritional status. Parenteral nutrition is only recommended if enteral nutrition is not possible e.g. during radio(chemo)therapy of tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract.


CONCLUSIONS
Today adequate nutritional support is feasible during intensive radio(chemo)therapy.
Fietkau
R
R
Strahlentherapeutische Klinik und Poliklinik, University of Rostock.
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D011788:Quality of Life; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents