Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40009216›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2025

The effects of enteral tube feeding on nutrition, survival, and quality of life outcomes in advanced upper gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic literature review.

Adriana Mannino, Caroline Lasry, Julia Kuypers, Terry P Haines, Daniel Croagh, Lauren Hanna, Kate Furness

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Adriana ManninoDepartment of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd & Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6846-4261
Caroline LasryDepartment of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd & Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
Julia KuypersDepartment of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd & Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2275-7808
Terry P HainesSchool of Primary and Allied Health Care &, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, National Centre for Healthy Ageing, Monash University, Moorooduc Highway, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3150-6154
Daniel CroaghDepartment of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6430-6741
Lauren HannaDepartment of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5238-7169
Kate FurnessDepartment of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics, School Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd & Kingsbury Dr, Bundoora, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia. kate.furness@latrobe.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4176-3050

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDespite guidelines, enteral tube feeding is not routinely provided to advanced upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer patients who cannot consume adequate nutrition and who have an expected survival of at least 3 months. This review examined its effect on nutrition status, survival, and quality of life (QOL) in these patients.

methodsFive databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, Ovid, Web of Science) were searched for original research on nutrition, survival, and/or QOL outcomes in adults with inoperable UGI cancers receiving enteral tube feeding. Quality was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist: Primary Research, and a narrative synthesis was conducted.

resultsFive studies were eligible for inclusion, most participants were male (n = 205), with low sample sizes across all studies (n = 16-131). Enteral tube feeding resulted in a similar proportion of participants with weight loss above or below 5% (baseline to 12 weeks) compared to a control group [p > 0.05] (1 study), and a significant increase in mean lean body mass [+1.3 (± 4.0) kg, p = 0.01] (1 study). There was variability in survival outcomes, statistical modelling, and comparators in five studies, with subsequently contradictory results. Only one study reported on QOL. Study quality was assessed as neutral (4 studies) or negative (1 study), reflecting methodological/analytical issues across the studies.

conclusionsThis systematic literature review highlights a significant knowledge gap, with no high-quality randomised controlled trial-based evidence available on enteral nutrition efficacy, limiting its use in dietetic practice in this sub-population. Despite treatment developments prolonging survival, research investigating feeding and its impact on QOL remains inadequate. Further research is needed to promote change and influence practice, policy, and guidelines, alongside high-quality intervention studies with defined nutrition outcomes, regimens, and robust statistical analyses to determine the benefits of enteral tube feeding in this vulnerable population.

Indexed as

Enteral NutritionGastrointestinal NeoplasmsQuality of LifeHumansMaleNutritional StatusWeight LossCancerEnteral nutritionNutritionOncologyQuality of lifeUpper gastrointestinal cancer

Identifiers

PMID40009216
PMCPMC11865217

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.