Tolerance and efficacy of preventive gastrostomy feeding in pediatric oncology

The Impact of Proactive Gastrostomy Tube Placement on Treatment-related Outcomes in Young Children With High-grade Central Nervous System Tumors

Young children undergoing treatment with intensive chemotherapy for high-grade central nervous system (CNS) tumors are at risk for malnutrition, yet no guidelines exist for the placement of enteral tubes. Prior studies evaluated the impact of proactive gastrostomy tube (GT) placement with a narrow scope of outcomes, such as weight. To examine the impact of proactive GT on comprehensive treatment outcomes, we performed a single-center, retrospective study of children younger than 60 months of age with high-grade CNS tumors treated per CCG99703 or ACNS0334 between 2015 and 2022. Of 26 patients included, 9 (35%) underwent proactive GT, 8 (30%) had rescue GT, and 9 (35%) had a nasogastric tube (NGT). Clinically significant weight loss occurred in 47% of patients with NGT during induction compared with 22% with proactive GT ( P = 0.274); however, between cohorts, there was no significant difference in antibiotic or parenteral nutrition utilization, weight loss at therapy completion, and duration of hospitalization. Therefore, proactive GT placement was modestly effective at preventing significant weight loss during induction, however, there was no clear benefit for hospitalization duration, antibiotic, or parental nutrition requirements compared with NGT. We recommend an individualized approach to GT placement for young children with CNS malignancies undergoing intensive chemotherapy.

Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: A scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to extrapolate the clinical features of children with severe neurologic impairment (SNI) based on the functional characteristics and comorbidities described in published studies.

METHODS

Four databases were searched. We included studies that describe clinical features of a group of children with SNI (≥20 subjects <19 years of age with >1 neurologic diagnosis and severe functional limitation) using data from caregivers, medical charts, or prospective collection. Studies that were not written in English were excluded. We extracted data about functional characteristics, comorbidities, and study topics.

RESULTS

We included 102 studies, spanning 5 continents over 43 years, using 41 distinct terms for SNI. The terms SNI and neurologic impairment (NI) were used in 59 studies (58%). Most studies (n = 81, 79%) described ≥3 types of functional characteristics, such as technology assistance and motor impairment. Studies noted 59 comorbidities and surgeries across 10 categories. The most common comorbidities were related to feeding, nutrition, and the gastrointestinal system, which were described in 79 studies (77%). Most comorbidities (76%) were noted in <10 studies. Studies investigated seven clinical topics, with "Gastrointestinal reflux and feeding tubes" as the most common research focus (n = 57, 56%). The next most common topic, "Aspiration and respiratory issues," included 13 studies (13%). Most studies (n = 54, 53%) were retrospective cohorts or case series; there were no clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the breadth of described comorbidities, studies focused on a narrow set of clinical topics. Further research is required to understand the prevalence, clinical impact, and interaction of the multiple comorbidities that are common in children with SNI.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and jejunostomy: Indications and techniques

Nutritional support is essential in patients who have a limited capability to maintain their body weight. Therefore, oral feeding is the main approach for such patients. When physiological nutrition is not possible, positioning of a nasogastric, nasojejunal tube, or other percutaneous devices may be feasible alternatives. Creating a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a suitable option to be evaluated for patients that need nutritional support for more than 4 wk. Many diseases require nutritional support by PEG, with neurological, oncological, and catabolic diseases being the most common. PEG can be performed endoscopically by various techniques, radiologically or surgically, with different outcomes and related adverse events (AEs). Moreover, some patients that need a PEG placement are fragile and are unable to express their will or sign a written informed consent. These conditions highlight many ethical problems that become difficult to manage as treatment progresses. The aim of this manuscript is to review all current endoscopic techniques for percutaneous access, their indications, postprocedural follow-up, and AEs.

Nutritional support practices and opinions toward gastrostomy use in pediatric bone marrow transplant centers: A national survey

OBJECTIVE

Previous surveys have shown deviations in nutritional practices from international guidelines during bone marrow transplant (BMT). Guidelines recommend enteral nutrition first-line and nasogastric tubes are the mainstay for its provision. Gastrostomies provide an alternative, yet their use is less common. This national survey investigated nutrition support practices in pediatric allogeneic BMT centers and compared clinicians' opinions on gastrostomy use. The aim of this study was to identify the national picture of nutritional support practices across pediatric allogeneic BMT centers, including use and opinions of dietitians, clinical nurse specialists, and physicians, toward gastrostomy feeding.

METHODS

An online survey was administered to 12 centers. The lead dietitian answered questions regarding nutritional counseling, screening, assessment, and interventions. Questions regarding current use, perceived advantages, and problems of gastrostomies were answered by the dietitian, lead clinical nurse specialist, and physician.

RESULTS

A 100% response rate was achieved from 12 centers (N = 36 clinicians). Nutritional counseling was provided in 92% of centers before and routinely throughout admission, 83% screened on and regularly throughout admission, 83% assessed nutritional status before transplant, and 92% used enteral nutrition first-line. Forty-two percent of the centers used gastrostomies. In those not using gastrostomies, 76% of clinicians felt some children should be offered a gastrostomy. Clinicians perceived less displacements (78%) and cosmetic appearance (69%) as the most common advantages of gastrostomies over nasogastric tubes. Risks associated with surgery (92%) and tube/stoma complications (58%) were the most common perceived problems.

CONCLUSIONS

A similar approach was shown on many aspects of nutritional support. Gastrostomy use divided opinion with differences in use and perceived advantages, but agreement on potential complications. Despite their risks, clinicians wanted to use gastrostomies more. Placement requires careful consideration of the risks, benefits, and family preferences.

Effectiveness and Complication Rate of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Placement in Pediatric Oncology Patients

PURPOSE

Malnutrition is a significant issue for pediatric patients with cancer. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness and complication rate of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement in pediatric oncology patients.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed on 49 pediatric oncology patients undergoing PEG placement at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital between 2000 and 2016. Demographic and clinical characteristics, complications, absolute neutrophil count at time of PEG placement and at time of complications, length of stay, and mortality were identified. Weight-for-age Z-scores were evaluated at time of- and six months post-PEG placement.

RESULTS

The overall mean weight-for-age Z-score improved by 0.73 (p<0.0001) from pre- (-1.11) to post- (-0.38) PEG placement. Improvement in Z-score was seen in patients who were malnourished at time of PEG placement (1.14, p<0.0001), but not in those who were not malnourished (0.32, p=0.197). Site infections were seen in 12 (24%), buried bumper syndrome in five (10%), and tube dislodgement in one (2%) patient. One patient (2%) with fever was treated for possible peritonitis. There were no cases of other major complications, including gastric perforation, gastrocolic fistula, clinically significant bleeding, or PEG-related death documented.

CONCLUSION

Consistent with previous studies, our data suggests a relationship between site complications (superficial wound infection, buried bumper syndrome) and neutropenia. Additionally, PEG placement appears to be an effective modality for improving nutritional status in malnourished pediatric oncology patients. However, larger prospective studies with appropriate controls and adjustment for potential confounders are warranted to confirm these findings.

Systematic review of gastrostomy complications and outcomes in pediatric cancer and bone marrow transplant

BACKGROUND

Nutrition support is essential in children with cancer, including those undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT), to reduce the risk of malnutrition and associated deleterious outcomes. Enteral nutrition is more commonly provided via nasogastric than gastrostomy tubes because of safety concerns with the latter in immunocompromised children. This systematic review investigated the incidence and type of complications and outcomes in pediatric cancer patients fed by gastrostomy.

METHODS

Databases were searched for randomized and observational studies investigating the use of any gastrostomy device in children aged <18 years with any cancer diagnosis, including those undergoing BMT. Five cohort and 11 case series studies were included. Owing to clinical heterogeneity, meta-analyses were not performed.

RESULTS

Quality of evidence varied, with five studies judged at serious risk of bias and poor quality; however, the remaining 11 were considered to range from moderate to good quality. Across studies, 54.6% of children developed one or more complications, of which 76.6% were classified as minor, 23.4% major. The most frequent complications included inflammation (52% of episodes), infection (42.1%), leakage (22.3%), and granuloma (21%). Evidence regarding infection rates in cancer/BMT patients compared with other disease states was inconclusive. Gastrostomy feeding was associated with improvement or stabilization of nutrition status in 77%-92.7% of children.

CONCLUSION

Gastrostomy feeding in this population is relatively safe and effective in stabilizing or improving nutrition status throughout treatment. Complications are frequent but mostly minor. Placement requires careful consideration of the complications, benefits, nutrition risk and status at diagnosis, and quality of life.

Effects of proactive and rescue enteral tube feedings on weight change in children undergoing treatment for high-grade CNS tumors

Background

Children with high-grade CNS cancers frequently experience malnutrition during treatment. We assessed the effects of proactive enteral tube (ET) placement/enteral tube feedings (ETF) on weight in infants/children with high-grade CNS tumors treated with aggressive chemotherapy.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of patients age 0 to 19 years treated for new high-grade CNS tumors between 2002 and 2017 at a tertiary pediatric hospital system. Patients underwent placement of proactive ET (≤ 31 days postdiagnosis; n = 45), rescue ET (> 31 days, due to weight loss; n = 9), or no ET (n = 18). Most received surgically placed ET (98%), with percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy or gastrojejunostomy tubes favored to allow jejunal feeding. The majority of patients with ET used ETF (91%). Using mixed-effects regression models, we examined differences in mean weights between ET/ETF groups across the first year of treatment. We also evaluated observed weight changes.

Results

All infants (n = 22, median age, 1.5 years) had proactive ET placed and 21 of 22 used proactive ETF. Infants showed an initial increase in mean percentage weight change that eventually leveled off, for an estimated increase of 10.4% over the year. For the pediatric cohort (n = 50, median, 8.1 years), those receiving proactive ETF experienced weight increases (+9.9%), those with rescue ETF experienced an initial decline and eventually rebounded for no net change (0.0%), and those with no ETF demonstrated an initial decline that persisted (-11.9%; P _interaction < .001). Analysis of observed weights revealed nearly identical patterns.

Conclusions

Proactive ETF was effective at maintaining weight and/or facilitating weight gain over the first year of treatment and was acceptable to patients/families.

Nutrition & Exercise Interventions in Pediatric Patients with Brain Tumors: A Narrative Review

Brain tumors have been the most common pediatric solid tumor and leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Improved survival emphasizes the importance of adverse treatment effects especially related to nutrition and exercise. Although studies have examined nutrition and exercise outcomes, few randomized trials exist. This narrative review included a systematic literature search with analysis of controlled or single group studies examining clinical and quality-of-life impact of nutrition or exercise interventions. Seven articles were included. Three nutrition studies demonstrated improvement with proactive feeding tubes, nutritional supplementation, and nutritional status. Two exercise studies showed improvement in measures of fitness and neuroanatomy with exercise in pediatric brain tumor survivors; two cohort studies demonstrated a link between quality of life and physical activity. Preliminary studies show nutrition and exercise may improve physical well-being and quality of life, suggesting future controlled studies are warranted to inform clinical care of children with brain tumors.

Trends in age- and sex-adjusted body mass index and the prevalence of malnutrition in children with cancer over 42 months after diagnosis: a single-center cohort study

The adequate nutritional status of pediatric cancer patients is particularly important to enable them to cope with the demands of the disease and its treatment and to maintain normal growth. Malnutrition and obesity have both been associated with reduced survival and increased drug toxicity. We investigated trends in the age- and sex-adjusted body mass index (ISO-BMI) and the prevalence of malnutrition in a Finnish cohort of 139 consecutive children receiving chemotherapy for cancer, with a follow-up period of 42 months after diagnosis. In total, 28% (39/139) of the patients experienced malnutrition (ISO-BMI < 17 or > 10% weight loss), and 12% (16/139) had a nasogastric tube or underwent gastrostomy. Patients with acute or chronic myeloid leukemia (5/10), central nervous system (CNS) tumors (5/13), or solid tumors (13/31) most frequently suffered from malnutrition. There was a significant increase in the ISO-BMI of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (+ 2.1 kg/m²) and lymphomas (+ 2.4 kg/m²) during the first 6 months, and the ISO-BMI of patients with ALL remained higher at 42 months compared to baseline (+ 1.9 kg/m²).Conclusion: The cumulative incidence of malnutrition in Finnish pediatric cancer patients is comparable to that reported in other populations. The nutritional status of patients with acute myeloid leukemia, CNS tumors, or solid tumors should be monitored with extra care to facilitate early intervention in the case of impending malnutrition.What is known:• Both malnutrition and obesity are associated with reduced survival and increased drug toxicity in pediatric cancer patients.What is new:• Overall, 28 % of Finnish children receiving chemotherapy for cancer suffer from malnutrition during the first 42 months following the initial cancer diagnosis. • ISO-BMI curves from initial diagnosis to 42 months after diagnosis are provided for patients with different types of cancer.

Gastrostomy tube use in children with cancer

Children with cancer are at risk of malnutrition, which can impair critical childhood processes of growth and development and contribute to poor health outcomes. Enteral nutrition can effectively ameliorate malnutrition or weight loss in children with cancer; however, published nutrition support algorithms contain minimal specific information on gastrostomy tube use, and current literature is limited. Decisions about gastrostomy tube insertion in children with cancer can be challenging. Consideration of gastrostomy tube insertion is only appropriate in children with long-term dependence on enteral nutrition, particularly when nasogastric tube insertion is predicted or proven to be problematic. Specific indications for patient selection are unclear, and referring clinicians may be unaware of important absolute and relative contraindications. Complications are predominantly minor in nature; however, reported rates are high. Morbidity must be weighed carefully against the need and anticipated duration of enteral nutrition support, and further research in this area is needed.

Development of a web-based assessment tool that evaluates the meal situation when a child has a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

BACKGROUND

Children with cancer often suffer side effects from their treatment, for example nausea and vomiting, which can lead to malnutrition. If a child cannot eat orally, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) can improve his or her well-being, psychosocial development and growth by enabling the supply of nourishment and facilitating the administration of necessary medicines. Few data exist on children's comfort when using a PEG. The aim of this study was firstly to develop three versions of a web-based assessment tool in which children, families, and healthcare professionals would be able to register their observations and assessments for evaluating the meal situation when a child has a PEG and secondly to validate the content of the tool.

METHODS

A qualitative design was chosen with purposive sampling of participants. Five children with cancer, five parents, five registered nurses and five paediatricians participated first in an interview and then in a member check of the web-based tool. The data were analysed with manifest qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The results highlighted four categories of issues which needed to be revised in the web-based tool: words which were difficult for the participants to understand, items which contained several questions, items which needed to be split into more items to be answerable and the layout of the questionnaire. The web-based tool was revised according to the categories, and then a member check evaluated and finally confirmed the revisions.

CONCLUSIONS

A web-based tool may be able to evaluate the meal situation when a child with cancer has a PEG. The tool may be able to detect early failures of the PEG, facilitating early action from the healthcare professionals in supporting the child and his or her parents in their care of the PEG. In the long run, this web-based tool may also be able to increase the quality of care of children living with a PEG.

Surgical Feeding Tubes in Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Patients: A Single-institution Retrospective Review

The purpose of our study was to evaluate surgical enteric access in pediatric cancer patients to determine factors associated with postoperative complications. We performed a single-institution retrospective review of all patients below 21 years old with a primary cancer diagnosis who underwent surgical procedures for enteral access between 2004 and 2014. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine independent predictors of postoperative complications. During the study period, 122 patients had surgically placed feeding tubes, of whom 58% developed ≥1 complication(s) and 16% experienced a major complication. No single factor was significantly associated with developing any complication or major complication. Several trends were noted including increased complications associated with jejunostomy tubes, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes, and abdominal radiation. Surgically placed enteric access in pediatric and adolescent cancer patients is associated with an extremely high complication rate emphasizing the importance of careful evaluation of these patients before embarking on surgical feeding access. Future work should evaluate mechanisms to decrease complications and/or explore alternative methods to provide supplemental nutrition in children and adolescents with cancer.

Review of the Effectiveness of Enteral Feeding in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Enteral supplementation for nutritional support in pediatric oncology patients remains nonstandardized across institutions and between providers. Pediatric oncology patients frequently fail to meet their growth curve percentiles, lose weight, and/or are malnourished due to both the oncologic process as well as side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Methods of increasing weight include enteral feeding (nasogastric, nasoduodenal/jejunal, or gastrostomy), parenteral intravenous feeding, and oral supplementation. Indications for feeding and feeding protocols are highly variable, in part due to parental and familial choices, and in part due to the lack of guidelines available for providers. This article provides a comprehensive literature review of 8 published studies regarding the effectiveness and safety of enteral feeding in maintaining or increasing weight in pediatric oncology patients to help inform practice. The review concludes that enteral feeding in pediatric oncology patients is an effective and safe method to affect weight positively. However, further research is needed for developing treatment guidelines, including establishing a timeline for initiation of feeding, and determining which patients are most likely to benefit from enteral feeding.

Gastrostomy Complications in Pediatric Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Single-Institution Review

BACKGROUND

Complications in pediatric cancer patients after a gastrostomy (GT) placement have not been widely investigated. We aimed to evaluate the complication rate and nature of complications in this specific population.

PROCEDURE

Medical records of pediatric cancer patients having a GT placed at our institution from 1998 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Variables analyzed included gender, age, diagnosis, surgical procedure, GT device, duration of GT usage, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) level at surgery, and complications.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-one patients (92 males, 79 females), median age of 6 years (range, 0.2-21), who underwent 181 procedures (110 open, 59 endoscopic, and 12 laparoscopic) were identified. Diagnosis included central nervous system tumor (n = 101), solid tumor (n = 45), and leukemia/lymphoma (n = 25). A GT tube was used in 139 procedures and a GT button in 42. Median ANC level at procedure was 3,300/mm(3) (range, 0-38,988). Median duration of GT usage was 8 months (range, 0.2-142). One hundred seventy-seven complications occurred in 106 patients (61.9%) and were categorized as perioperative (<1 month after surgery, 20.3%) and late (>1 month after surgery, 79.7%). Major complications included 42 (23.7%) GT site infections and four (2.2%) intrabdominal complications. The most common minor complication was granulation tissue (28.8%). Younger age at procedure was associated with complications (P = 0.048) and an open technique was associated with GT site infection (P = 0.003). No statistical significance was observed between complications and gender, diagnosis, GT device, duration of GT usage, and ANC at procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Younger patients were more likely to have complications, and GT site infections were more common after open GT procedures.

Causes of inadequate intake of nutrients during the treatment of children with chemotherapy

PURPOSE

The purpose of the research was to explore nurses' perceptions of different causes of inadequate food intake in children treated with chemotherapy and to determine how often nurses identify these causes.

METHOD

Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. Qualitative data were first gathered using semistructured interviews in a sample of six nurses and analysed by conventional content analysis. Based on the results of qualitative data and literature analysis, a 28-item questionnaire was developed and evaluated for its face validity in a sample of fifteen nurses. Questionnaires were then administered to twenty-seven nurses working at one pediatric oncology ward. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistic.

RESULTS

The major themes that emerge from the content analysis, describing nurses' perceptions of causes of inadequate food intake in children undergoing chemotherapy, were as follows: physiological causes of eating problems, psychological causes of eating problems, change in food selection, hospital food and individual counselling. 13 causes of inadequate food intake were identified from the questionnaire data. Pain due to mucositis was the most commonly identified cause of inadequate food intake in children, followed by nausea and vomiting, altered taste, loss of appetite and an altered smell. Psychological causes of eating problems are rarely identified.

CONCLUSION

Nurses identify most of the physiological and psychological causes of inadequate food intake in children treated with chemotherapy. The early identification and management by nurses of inadequate food intakes should be part of the curriculum for nurse education as well as part of treatment planning in clinical environment.

Complications of PEG are not related to age - The result of 10-year multicenter survey

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to analyze whether the insertion of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) during infancy is related to higher morbidity. Moreover, we analyzed the structure of indications to PEG placement in various age groups of pediatric patients.

MATERIAL/METHODS

The study involved medical data of children after PEG insertion from six Polish endoscopic centers: infants (<12 months of age), toddlers (12-36 months), and preadolescents (>36 months).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of early complications associated with PEG insertion was 5.14%; while they were noted in infants and preadolescents, none were recorded in toddlers. The analyzed age groups did not differ significantly in terms of the prevalence of late complications. Cerebral palsy (34.86%) and other chronic neurological conditions (34.29%) were the most frequent indications to PEG insertion in the whole group. Patients with congenital heart defects and multiple defect syndrome were inserted PEG at the youngest age; in contrast, the age at insertion was the highest in cystic fibrosis patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The early qualification to nutritional intervention via endoscopically formed gastrostomy can have important clinical implications with regards to improved therapeutic outcomes and reduced morbidity rates.

Laparoscopic versus percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement in children: Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND:

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and laparoscopic-assisted gastrostomy (LAG) are widely used in the paediatric population. The aim of this study was to determine which one of the two procedures is the most effective and safe method.

METHODS:

This systematic review was conducted according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement. Primary outcomes were success rate, efficacy of feeding, quality of life, gastroesophageal reflux and post-operative complications.

RESULTS:

Five retrospective studies, comparing 550 PEG to 483 LAG placements in children, were identified after screening 2347 articles. The completion rate was similar for both procedures. PEG was associated with significantly more adjacent bowel injuries (P = 0.047), early tube dislodgements (P = 0.02) and complications that require reintervention under general anaesthesia (P < 0.001). Minor complications were equally frequent after both procedures.

CONCLUSIONS:

Because of the lack of well-designed studies, we have to be cautious in making definitive conclusions comparing PEG to LAG. To decide which type of gastrostomy placement is best practice in paediatric patients, randomised controlled trials comparing PEG to LAG are highly warranted.

De novo radiologic placement of button gastrostomy: a feasibility study in children with cancer

BACKGROUND

Primary placement of percutaneous radiologic button gastrostomy has been successfully performed in adults but research is lacking as to its success in children during cancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the safety and effectiveness of such treatment at a single center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a 3-year retrospective feasibility study reporting on placement procedure, feeding plan, acute complications and effectiveness of this technique based on the evolution of the weight and weight-to-height during a period of 3 months.

RESULTS

Eleven gastrostomies were performed in 11 children and young adults (3-20 years old) during oncological treatment. No major complications occurred. Two patients experienced minor side effects -- local leakage and granulation tissue formation -- both easily treated. In all cases, enteral feeding started within 24 h following the button placement. The patients were able to go home within 72 h. After 1 month, 64% (7/11) had gained weight, 18% (2/11) had maintained weight and 9% (1/11) had lost weight. After 3 months, 73% (8/11) had gained weight and 9% (1/11) had lost weight.

CONCLUSION

The procedure and devices were well tolerated and mostly effective in our cohort.

Caregiver and health care provider preferences of nutritional support in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant unit

BACKGROUND

Many pediatric oncology patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) require nutritional support (NS) because of their inability to consume adequate caloric intake enough calories orally. Although NS can be provided either enteraly (EN) or parenteraly (PN), EN is the preferred method of NS as long as if the gastrointestinal tract is functioning. In this qualitative study, we determined the type of NS preferences and the reservations of caregivers of pediatric HSCT patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) as well as those of health care (HC) providers working on the HSCT unit.

PROCEDURES

A survey was developed and completed anonymously by HC providers and caregivers. The hypothesis was that HC providers and caregivers would prefer PN because it is convenient to use in patients who already have a central line in place.

RESULTS

Most caregivers preferred PN to EN, while most HC providers preferred EN to PN. The barrier between EN initiation and caregivers' approval was the caregivers' perception that EN was invasive and painful, most common obstacle for initiation of EN among caregivers was that it hurts/is invasive, while the barrier with HC providers was vomiting and/abdominal pain associated with EN.

CONCLUSIONS

If caregivers were better educated about NS and the advantages/disadvantages of the different forms of NS, their preferences may change. There have been policy changes at St. Jude have been implemented since this study, and an outpatient dietitian now provides education to caregivers about NS during the pre-evaluation for HSCT.

Antioxidant intake in paediatric oncology patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Antioxidant intake can affect both free radical and the nutritional status of children receiving cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether children with cancer met their antioxidant requirements.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was performed at a single hospital in England from June 2008 to February 2010. Children with a solid tumour, lymphoma or leukaemia were included. Dietary intakes including 3 modes of feeding ('diet alone', 'diet + tube' feeding or 'diet + vitamin-mineral supplementation' (VMS)) were collected with an estimated food record (EFR) 1 and 3 month post-diagnosis. Four and 24-hr food recalls were performed to validate the food records.

RESULTS

Forty two children were included: 57% leukaemia or lymphoma and 43% solid tumours. Sixty seven percent underwent chemotherapy and 33% a combination of therapies. In months 1 and 3, greater numbers of children achieved ≥100% of requirements for 'diet + VMS' (p < 0.05) than for other feeding modes. However, considerable proportions of all feeding groups did not achieve 100% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for vitamin A, C, E, selenium and zinc. This was most marked in the 'diet alone' group. Significant proportions did not achieve the Lower Recommended Nutrient Intake (LRNI) for some antioxidants. The 'diet alone' group had the highest proportion not meeting LRNI for vitamin A (p << 0.001; 1st month) and zinc (p < 0.02; 3rd month).

CONCLUSION

Inadequate antioxidant intake was observed in a significant proportion of cancer patients when feeding was not augmented in any way. More research is required to determine the clinical implications of these findings.

Malnutrition in pediatric patients with cancer at diagnosis and throughout therapy: A multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is a common problem in pediatric patients with cancer. Reported prevalence varies widely and has often been assessed only in a subset of childhood types of cancer. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of malnutrition among pediatric patients newly diagnosed with cancer, to describe the occurrence and course of malnutrition during therapy and to identify factors associated with malnutrition during therapy.

PROCEDURE

In a retrospective cohort study of 327 patients diagnosed from 2003 to 2006 in three Swiss tertiary care hospitals, weight and height measures together with patient-, disease-, and treatment-related characteristics were assessed. Malnutrition was defined as body mass index (BMI) below -2 standard deviation scores (SDS) or a weight loss >10% from diagnosis. Malnutrition was assessed at diagnosis and continuously during anticancer therapy.

RESULTS

At diagnosis, 5.8% of the patients (19) were malnourished based on BMI. During anticancer therapy, the cumulative incidence of malnutrition rose to 22% (70 patients) after 30 days, to 36% (116 patients) after 60 days, and finally to 47% (155 patients). In these 155 patients, the median duration of malnutrition was 60 days (interquartile range, 21-122). Age above 10 years at diagnosis, BMI ≤ -1.0 SDS at diagnosis, and a diagnosis of medulloblastoma were positively associated with a higher proportion of malnutrition time during therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The rapid increase of malnutrition after the start of treatment underlines the need to develop evidence-based and efficient methods to provide nutritional support for children with cancer.

Malnutrition and obesity in pediatric oncology patients: causes, consequences, and interventions

In children with cancer, suboptimal nutrition states are common consequences of the disease and its treatment. These nutrition states have been attributed to a number of etiologies dependent on the patient's tumor type and treatment, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Interventions vary from psychosocial to pharmacological and surgical management. Further research is necessary to understand the epidemiology and etiology of these nutrition states. Of great importance is the development and implementation of effective interventions to optimize nutritional status among children with cancer during and after therapy.