[Treatment of the esophageal cancer: the impact of peri-operative parenteral nutrition]

Abstract

The malnourished cancer patients are at a higher risk of morbidity and mortality, when undergoing major surgical treatments. In comparison with patients affected with other cancers, the highest occurrence of malnutrition (78.9%) was found in those with esophageal cancer and is related with post-operative complications. The Authors review the impact of peri-operative nutritional support on outcomes in esophageal cancer patients undergoing surgery, and produce strategies that can be used to preserve or restore the nutritional condition in patients throughout treatment. Several methods may be used to provide nutritional care, such as oral supplementation, and enteral or parenteral nutrition. The enteral option is to be preferred, due to preservation of intestinal integrity, reduced risk of complications, and lesser expenses. The prevention or correction of nutrient depletion in several malnourished esophageal cancer patients remarkably reduce or eliminate malnutrition-related morbidity and mortality, therefore the level of malnutrition must be identified and treated.