[Enteral nutrition in digestive cancer]

In view of the frequency and the importance of denutrition in digestive cancer patients, continuous enteral nutrition (EN) might be an useful adjuvant treatment should these patients be able to receive an efficient anti-tumoral course of treatment. EN is as effective as total parenteral nutrition in undernourished patients and probably decreases the extent and the frequency of post-operative complications. In contrast, when considered as a complement to radiation therapy or chemotherapy, EN does not enhance tolerance of treatment, response rate nor survival even though it improves the patient's nutritional status. These results must be considered with caution as most of the randomized trials conducted have only included small groups of patients. Further randomized trials are required in homogenous populations of digestive cancer patients in a state of undernutrition and who are eligible candidates for curative treatment. Basic research projects aiming at a specific form of nutritional support for cancer patients are badly needed.