Enteral and parenteral nutrition in terminally ill cancer patients: a review of the literature

Enteral and parenteral nutrition in terminally ill cancer patients: a review of the literature

Dy SM

The American Journal Of Hospice & Palliative Care

2006

Humans; Survival Rate; Terminally Ill; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Communication; Treatment Outcome; Decision Support Techniques; Research Design; Risk Factors; Patient Selection; Activities of Daily Living; Evidence-Based Medicine; Patient Education as Topic; quality of life; Nutritional Status; Nutrition Assessment; Enteral Nutrition/adverse effects/methods/utilization; Malnutrition/etiology/therapy; Neoplasms/complications/mortality/psychology; Parenteral Nutrition/adverse effects/methods/utilization; Terminal Care/methods/psychology/utilization

Many terminally ill patients who are able to eat appear to be eating less than they should, losing weight, and becoming malnourished, and many others develop difficulties with eating. These symptoms and signs are usually a marker of advanced cancer, rather than the cause of decreasing functional status, and providing supplemental nutrition rarely changes the course of the disease. This article reviews evidence on issues relevant to enteral and parenteral nutrition in patients with advanced cancer, including benefits, risks, and discomforts; how these types of nutrition are used and perceived, and how decisions are made; and how decision-making might be improved.

2006

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