Clinical impact of intravenous hyperalimentation on esophageal carcinoma: is it worthwhile?

The coexistence of malignancy and dysphagia makes nutritional deprivation especially serious in patients with carcinoma of the esophagus. Intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) is often given and should be of particular value in these patients. Sixty-four patients with carcinoma of the esophagus seen between January, 1975, and February, 1982, were studied retrospectively during their first hospitalization for the disease. Thirty-seven patients received IVH, and 27 did not. There were no significant differences at the time of admission to the hospital between the two groups with respect to age, sex, pathological status, and location of the carcinoma. Also, there was no difference in the incidence of hypoalbuminemia (less than 3 gm/dl) or lymphocytopenia (less than 1,500/mm3). More patients in the IVH group underwent surgical resection of the esophagus. Surgical intervention did not significantly influence hospital mortality. The IVH therapy reduced weight loss (p less than 0.05), but was associated with an increased incidence of pulmonary sepsis (p less than 0.05) and longer hospital stay. The incidence of hypoalbuminemia and lymphocytopenia increased between admission and the end of hospitalization, but it did not significantly differ between the groups. Thus, one cannot assume the effectiveness of IVH in this clinical setting, as its value was not demonstrated in this retrospective series. A prospective randomized study is warranted in view of the high cost and the doubtful clinical impact of an IVH regimen in patients with carcinoma of the esophagus.