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. 2022 Apr 28;14(9):2212. doi: 10.3390/cancers14092212

Table 3.

Randomized controlled trials of enteral nutrition.

Reference No. of Patients Type of Cancer Evaluated Outcome(s) Summary of Results
Nutritional status (WL, BIA parameters)
Gavazzi et al. (2016)
[56]		 79 OeCa,
GaCa,
PaCa,
Bile duct cancer		 Nutritional status Study was discontinued due to advantage for IG.

  • Sign. difference in change in body weight from baseline to 2 months: IG: −0.3 ± 3.9 kg (−0.5%); CG: −3.6 ± 4.8 kg (−5.8%); treatment effect 3.26 kg (p = 0.0031)
Immunology (Cytokines, CRP, Albumin)
Slotwinski et al. (2008)
[69]		 41 PaCa Cytokines

  • Sign. higher concentrations of IL-6 (day 10, p =0.017), IL-8 (day 1: p = 0.01; day 3, 7, 10: p < 0.001), IL-10 (day 3, 10: p < 0.001), IL-1RA (day 7: p < 0.001; day 10: p = 0.002) in IG

  • Sign. higher postOP levels of IL-1ß (day 7: p < 0.001), TNF-α (day 3: p = 0.006; day 7: p < 0.001) in CG

  • Sign. increase in total lymphocyte count (nutritional status) in IG (IG 1140 ± 262; CG: 930 ± 145 cells/mm³; p = 0.003)
Hamza et al. (2015)
[58]		 37 Periampullary cancer Parameters of systematic immune function (IL-1-α, TNF-α)

  • No sign. difference in IL-1-α (IG: 69 (23–115) pg/mL vs. CG: 73 (29–117) pg/mL; p = 0.529)

  • Sign. difference in TNF- α in IG over period of 14 days (day 14: 1993 pg/mL; day 0: 738 pg/mL; p = 0.047)

  • No sign. difference in TNF-α (IG: 738 (482–993) pg/mL vs. CG: 1212 (647–1779) pg/mL; p = 0.112)
Complications (Infections, mortality, LOS)
Braga et al. (1999)
[49]		 171 CoCa, GaCa,
PaCa		 Rate of postoperative infectious complications

  • Sign. difference in rate of complications (IG: 11%, CG: 24%; p = 0.02)
LOS

  • Sign. difference in LOS (IG: 11.1 (± 4.4) days, CG: 12.9 (± 4.6) days; p = 0.01)
Daly et al. (1995)
[52]		 60 OeCa, GaCa, PaCa, others Clinical outcome

  • Sign. difference in development of major postOP infections and wounds (IG 1 and 2: 3/30 patients (10%), CG 1 and 2: 13 / 30 patients (43%); p < 0.005)

  • Sign. difference in LOS (IG 1 and 2: 16 (± 0.9) d, CG 1 and 2: 22 (±2.9) d; p < 0.005)
Klek et al. (2008)
[61]		 183 GaCa,
PaCa		 Postoperative complications

  • No sign. differences (IG: n = 21 (23.1%), CG: n = 23 (25.2%); p > 0.05)
Lobo et al. (2006)
[64]		 108 OeCa,
GaCa,
PaCa		 Development of infectious complications

  • No sign. differences (IG: n = 24 (44.4%), CG: n = 24 (44.4%); p = 1.0)
Klek et al. (2011)
[62]		 303 PaCa,
GaCa		 Number of complications

  • Sign. differences in infectious complications (IG n = 43 (28.3%), CG: n = 60 (39.2%); p = 0.04)
Gade et al. (2016)
[55]		 35 PaCa Overall postoperative complications

  • No sign. difference in postOP complications (data not shown; p > 0.05)

  • Sign. larger number of participants with >3 postOP complications in CG (p = 0.030)
LOS

  • No sign. difference in LOS (IG: 11 (6–30) days, CG: 16 (8–30) days; p = 0.549)
Mori et al. (2019)
[65]		 39 PaCa Complications necessitating readmission postOP
  • Sign. difference in readmission rate at:
    • o
      90 days (IG: 0%, CG: 25%; p = 0.047)
    • o
      6 months postOP (IG: 5.3%, CG: 35.0%; p = 0.044)
    • o
      12 months postOP (IG: 10.5%, CG: 40.0%; p = 0.065)
  • Sign. difference in cumulative readmission rate postOP (p = 0.018):
    • o
      3 months (IG: 0%, CG: 24.7%)
    • o
      6 months (IG: 5.3%, CG: 31.7%)
    • o
      12 months (IG: 12.6%, CG: 43.7%)
    • o
      24 months (IG: 25.1%, CG: 43.7%)

BIA: bio impedance analysis; CG: control group; CoCa: colon cancer; CRP: C-reactive protein; GaCa: gastric cancer; IG: intervention group; LOS: length of stay in hospital; OeCa: oesophagus cancer; PaCa: pancreatic cancer; POD: postoperative day; WL: weight loss.