[Analysis of Patients Who Received Enteral Nutrition in the Course of Chemotherapy].

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-related adverse events can deteriorate the quality of life, as well as chemotherapy tolerance, for patients with gastric cancer. Nutritional support may prevent chemotherapy-related adverse events.

METHODS: Five patients who received chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer were prescribed enteral nutrition(Elental®or ENEVO®). We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy while receiving enteral nutrition.

RESULTS: All patients consumed more than one bottle of enteral nutrition during chemotherapy. Median progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were 166 days(100-349)and 328 days(115-431), respectively. Major Grade 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia(0%), anemia(40%), and diarrhea(20%). The prognostic nutritional index(PNI)was higher than 40, and the neutrophil lymphocyte ratio(NLR)was lower than 3 over the course of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional support for gastric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy is feasible. There was a low incidence of chemotherapy-related hematological toxicity, with a relatively longer PFS in patients receiving enteral nutrition.