[Is there an indication for parenteral nutrition support in the terminally ill cancer patient?].

ABSTRACT

Cancer cachexia is mediated by cytokines affecting intermediate metabolism of energy, proteins, carbohydrate and lipid. It is aggravated by common therapeutic measures: surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy that reduce oral intake as well as increase catabolism. Enteral or parenteral nutrition support decreases the catabolic rate of the patient, helping the patient withstand the side effects of the therapeutic measures, but do not reverse to anabolism. Terminally ill cancer patients who are refractory to the different therapeutic measures need palliative care. Nutrition is a basic human right and is conceived by the patient and his family, as well as by the medical community and human society, to be vital for survival. We obviously make every effort to feed our cancer patients as long as they can tolerate food via the alimentary system. However, we are reluctant to administer parenteral feeding, due to fear of accelerated tumor growth, complications, cost and futility, thereby leading to unnecessary prolongation of suffering. However, there is a group of patients who, although they are not candidates for any antineoplastic therapy, are still in good physical and mental condition, with expected life spans of three months or more, suffering from conditions such as intestinal obstruction, fistulas or any condition which makes the preferred route of enteral nutrition impossible. In these specific patients, palliative parenteral nutrition should be considered. The functional status of the patient has to be reasonable (Karnofsky status > 50, ECOG< 3). The decision should be taken after careful multidisciplinary discussion. The patient and caregivers should be aware that this is not a cancer-specific treatment and probably will not prolong the patient's life. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in this situation is best if provided at the patient's home.