[Diet therapy in cancer]

Cancer cachexia is a syndrome with weight loss, anorexia, and loss of host body cell mass. Tumor cachexia may be an early symptom of a neoplasm. Low food intake is the main reason for weight loss. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation remain primary therapeutic modalities to overcome cancer cachexia. Artificial nutrition is able to avoid progressive weight loss; nutrition alone may not preserve fat-free body cell mass. Parenteral nutrition reduces perioperative morbidity and mortality. Nutritional support failed to show a benefit in patients with malignancies which are treated with therapeutic radiation or chemotherapy. For patients with unresectable neoplasms of the upper GI-tract conventional palliative regimens (bougienage, laser, etc.) do not support a satisfactory nutritional state. Ambulatory enteral tube feeding via percutaneous endoscopic gastrotomy (PEG) as an adjunct to therapy is useful and safe in providing adequate fluid and substrates.