Table 4.

Prognosis-Based Decision Making Regarding Artificial Nutrition

Nutritional State	Life expectancy: months or longer (active cancer treatments considered; pre-cachexia/cachexia state)	Life expectancy: days to weeks (progressive cancer with no standard treatment options; refractory cachexia)
Reduced oral intake and normal absorption	Continue with oral intake, consider nutritional supplements	Continue with oral intake, consider nutritional supplements
Significantly compromised oral intake (e.g. dysphagia, severe mucositis) and normal absorption	Consider enteral nutrition	Conservative measures Consider parenteral hydration Artificial nutrition not recommended
Significantly compromised absorption (e.g. bowel obstruction) or failure of enteral nutrition	Consider parenteral nutrition	Conservative measures Consider parenteral hydration Artificial nutrition not recommended