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. 2021 Jan 22;13(2):306. doi: 10.3390/nu13020306

Table 2.

Preferential nutritional routes in different cancer sites.

Tumor Site Preferential Nutritional Route Comment
Head, neck EN Choose access according to the expected AN duration:

  • short-term EN: NGT

  • long-term EN: PEG

(RIG or SG when endoscopic procedure is not feasible)
Chest: Esophagus, lung EN Choose access according to the expected AN duration:

  • short-term EN: NGT

  • long-term EN: PEG

(RIG or SG when endoscopic procedure is not feasible)

  • Self-expandable metal stents: lower survival benefit than PEG
Stomach EN/PN Choose access according to the expected AN duration:

  • short-term EN: NJT

  • long-term EN: PEJ

(SJ when endoscopic procedure is not feasible)In presence of bowel sub-obstruction/obstruction, peritoneal carcinomatosis, severe gastrointestinal symptoms, or EN intolerance:

  • consider PN
Pancreas, biliary tract, colon-rectum, uterus, ovary, bladder, prostate PN In presence of bowel sub-obstruction/obstruction, peritoneal carcinomatosis, severe gastrointestinal symptoms:

  • consider PN
Others malignancies (e.g., brain, breast, blood) EN/PN Choose access according to the expected AN duration:

  • short-term EN: NGT or NJT (if gastric dysmotility)

  • long-term EN: PEG or PEJ (if gastric dysmotility)

(RIG or SG or SJ when endoscopic procedure is unfeasible)In presence of bowel sub-obstruction/obstruction, peritoneal carcinomatosis, severe gastrointestinal symptoms, or EN intolerance:

  • consider PN

Legend: AN: artificial nutrition; EN: enteral nutrition; PN: parenteral nutrition; NGT: nasogastric tube; NJT: nasojejunal tube; PEG: percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; PEJ: percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy; RIG: radiologically inserted gastrostomy; SG: surgical gastrostomy; SJ: surgical jejunostomy.