ROLE OF ENTERAL NUTRITION IN ADVANCED CANCER-PATIENTS - INDICATIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS OF THE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED

Over the last 20 years there has been great progress regarding total p arenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition for patients who cannot take food by mouth or cannot swallow, or so that controlled feeding can be established in anorexic and malnourished patients, The use and the ro le of artificial nutrition is still controversial in advanced cancer p atients, Such controversies often are due to the fact that these patie nts have a survival expectancy that varies from one to several months, The present review describes the most frequent techniques used for en teral nutrition (nasoenteral tubes, gastrostomy and jejunostomy), thei r indications, contraindications and complications, and gives an indic ation regarding which patients may really benefit from enteral nutriti on taking into consideration not only the potential advantages but als o the discomfort and distress related to enteral nutrition and the dif ferent techniques that are employed.