Nutritional support at the end of life

Abstract

For patients with cancer at the end of life the goal of nutritional care is to optimize quality of life and comfort. Food and drink should be served as requested by the patient but without exerting pressure. For patients who have developed cachexia and are potentially candidates to receive artificial nutrition, discussions between the patient, family and health care team are needed to set the goals of nutritional care, considering both the risk of adverse effects of the treatment and ethical issues. The premise for a benefit from parenteral nutrition is that survival of the tumor spread exceeds that of starvation (usually by about 2-3 months).

Keywords: Elderly; End of life; Nutritional support; Oncology.