Nutrition provided during the final weeks to patients with non-gastrointestinal solid malignancies

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• Limited data exists on nutritional support for terminal cancer patients.
• Real-world analysis is needed to understand nutrition delivery in end-stage cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate nutrition delivery and infusion statuses in patients with terminal-stage cancers.
• To analyze trends in oral diets, enteral feeding, and parenteral nutrition near the end of life.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of a Japanese medical claims database.
• Included patients hospitalized for >7 days with neoplasms (April 2014-December 2018).
• Extracted data on nutrition delivery and infusion volumes/energies up to 28 days prior to death.

Main Results:

• 12,908 patients were analyzed.
• Proportion of patients without oral or enteral nutrition increased significantly closer to death (80.2% at 0 days).
• Infusion volumes and energy content decreased near death (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Parenteral nutrition use increased in terminal cancer patients nearing death.
• Overall nutritional intake was low in the final days of life.
• Study provides insight into nutritional therapy for end-stage cancer in Japan.