[Metabolic consequences of parenteral nutrition in tumor patients]

Between 30 and 60% of all carcinoma patients are already in deficient nutritional status at the time when diagnosis of the disease is established. The pathogenesis of this deficit is multifactorial. Increased caloric needs as caused by the malignoma as well as loss of adaptability of the tumor patient to reduced nutritional intake may be decisive factors. Effective parenteral nutrition is possible before, but only rarely during oncological therapy. Prospective studies have shown up to now only in tumor surgery but not in patients treated only with chemotherapy or with radiation therapy of malignoma that adjuvant parenteral nutrition may improve the results of treatment as determined by prolongation of life. The role of parenteral nutrition as an adjuvant therapeutic step in oncology has to be defined more clearly in the future, as is the case with most other adjuvant therapeutic measures.