To feed or not to feed in palliative medicine

The problem of malnutrition concerns most patients in the advanced stages of cancer. Nutrition and food are synonymous with the continuation of life for patients and their families and friends. In this paper, the methods of oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition are discussed, together with their advantages and the controversies connected with them and their effects on survival time and the quality of life.The problem of malnutrition concerns most patients in the advanced stages of cancer. Nutrition and food are synonymous with the continuation of life for patients and their families and friends. In this paper, the methods of oral, enteral and parenteral nutrition are discussed, together with their advantages and the controversies connected with them and their effects on survival time and the quality of life