title: Prospective study of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes versus nasogastric tubes for enteral feeding in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing (chemo)radiation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes have largely replaced nasogastric tubes (NGTs) for nutritional support of patients with head and neck cancer undergoing curative (chemo) radiotherapy without any good scientific basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted to compare PEG tubes and NGTs in terms of nutritional outcomes, complications, patient satisfaction, and cost.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 32 PEG and 73 NGT patients. PEG patients sustained significantly less weight loss at 6 weeks post-treatment (median 0.8 kg gain vs 3.7 kg loss, p < .001), but had a high insertion site infection rate (41%), longer median duration of use (146 vs 57 days, p < .001), and more grade 3 dysphagia in disease-free survivors at 6 months (25% vs 8%, p = .07). Patient self-assessed general physical condition and overall quality of life scores were similar in both groups. Overall costs were significantly higher for PEG patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEG tube use should be selective, not routine, in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St. Andrews Place, East Melbourne, Australia. june.corry@petermac.org
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: Narelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McPhee
authors.forename: Alvin D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cruickshank
authors.forename: Sandro V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Porceddu
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rischin
authors.forename: Lester J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004724:Endoscopy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult