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Parenteral Nutrition Prolongs the Survival of Patients Associated With Malignant Gastrointestinal Obstruction
Author(s) -
Fan BoGuang
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607107031006508
Subject(s) - parenteral nutrition , medicine , gastroenterology , intensive care medicine
Background: Many patients with advanced cancers have associated gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction. Parenteral nutrition (PN) is indicated in patients with a dysfunctional GI tract, but the role of PN in patients' survival is still controversial. The present study was retrospectively conducted to verify if there are any long‐term survivors living for more than 1 year after initiation of PN without food or drink in patients with malignant GI tract obstruction resulting from advanced cancers. Methods: One hundred fifteen adult patients with malignant GI obstruction were identified over a 6‐year period at a palliative‐care setting. Their median age was 51 years (range, 31–74 years), and 62 (54%) were women and 53 men (46%). All selected patients had malignant GI tract obstruction and started PN treatment after cessation of energy intake to time of death. Survival expectancy as a criterion was analyzed in all patients. Results: The median time from initiation of PN to death was 6.5 months. Eleven patients survived ≥1 year and 2 patients have been alive for almost 4 years later after cessation of energy intake. Conclusions: PN can be expected to obtain a longer survival for the patient with GI tract obstruction caused by advanced cancer.