Integrative Parenteral Nutrition in Cancer Patients

Overview

Although it is demonstrated that nutritional support can improve clinical outcomes, the literature shows that approximately 50% of cancer patients are not able to meet their estimated energy requirements. Recent clinical studies suggest that a supplementary support for parenteral nutrition (PN) could significantly help to improve the nutritional status of malnourished cancer patients. International guidelines recommend the use of PN in malnourished, hypophagic, non-surgical cancer patients if enteral nutrition is not feasible and in patients affected by severe iatrogenic gastrointestinal complications and in whom inadequate food intake is anticipated for more than 7 days. However, there are no studies on the effects of integrative PN in hospitalized, malnourished, hypophagic, non-surgical cancer patients. Recent studies have reported on the validity of bioelectrical impedance vector analysis in monitoring the body composition of patients receiving nutritional support. Particularly, phase angle proved to be a superior prognostic marker than other nutritional screening tools.

Conditions