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Nutritional support in palliative cancer care: quality of life in oral versus tube feeding
  1. Larissa Pereira Santos,
  2. Larissa Calixto-Lima,
  3. Livia Costa de Oliveira and
  4. Emanuelly Varea Maria Wiegert
  1. Palliative Care Unit, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  1. Correspondence to Dr Emanuelly Varea Maria Wiegert, National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; manuvarea{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Background Nutritional support (NS) offered through oral nutritional supplements (ONS) or enteral nutrition (EN) and its impact on quality of life (QoL) is a controversial topic in patients with cancer receiving palliative care (PC).

Aims To compare the QoL of patients without and with use of NS, including ONS or EN in patients with incurable cancer receiving PC.

Methods Cross-sectional analysis with patients that were evaluated at PC Unit between June 2021 and February 2023. QoL was assessed using the Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 15. Patients were classified into three groups according to the NS: ONS (n=72; 33%), EN (n=61; 28%) and control group (CG) (n=87; 39%), the last one being formed by patients not using NS. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to verify the association of the domains of QoL with the type of NS.

Results A total of 220 patients were included, with a median age of 64 (58–70) years, predominantly male (54.1%). The EN group had worse scores in physical function when compared with the ONS group (p=0.037) and appetite loss when compared with the CG (p=0.013). The ONS (OR: 2.70; 95% CI 1.32 to 5.49) and EN groups (OR: 2.61; 95% CI 1.24 to 5.49) were independently associated with a higher chance of presenting appetite loss in relation to the CG.

Conclusion In general, there was no difference in the QoL of patients using NS when compared with patients not using NS. However, patients using NS have more chance of having appetite loss.

  • cancer
  • quality of life
  • hospice care
  • supportive care
  • nutritional support

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. The data and analysis material related to this study are maintained and managed according to ethical regulations. To maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of patients, this information will not be made publicly available. Requests for further information can be directed to the corresponding author.

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Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplementary information. The data and analysis material related to this study are maintained and managed according to ethical regulations. To maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of patients, this information will not be made publicly available. Requests for further information can be directed to the corresponding author.

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Footnotes

  • Contributors All authors contributed to the conception and design of the research. All authors contributed to the acquisition and analysis of the data. LC-L, LCdO and EVMW contributed to the interpretation of the data. All authors drafted the manuscript. All authors critically revised the manuscript, agreed to be fully accountable for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work, and read and approved the final manuscript. All authors are responsible for the overall content as guarantor.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.