Stimulation of tumor growth by nutrition support

Controversy exists regarding the use of nutrition support in the cancer patient. Although nutrition support can clearly improve host nutritional status and restore immunoconfidence, the efficacy of nutrition support to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with antineoplastic therapy is questionable. A potential concern with the use of nutrition support in the tumor-bearing host is stimulation of primary tumor growth and metastasis. Numerous animal studies clearly demonstrate that oral and parenteral nutrition can significantly stimulate tumor cell proliferation and distant metastasis. Although cellular kinetic studies in humans have shown alterations after parenteral nutrition, objective measures of tumor growth, metastasis and tumor protein synthesis have not been affected by parenteral nutrition. This chapter summarizes the research and clinical work regarding the effect of nutrients on tumorigenesis, primary tumor growth, and metastasis in both animal and human tumors.