Constant rate enteral nutrition in bucco-pharyngeal cancer care. A highly efficient nutritional support system.

The incidence of protein and calorie malnutrition in bucco-pharyngeal cancer patients is high and therefore nutritional support is indicated. Two methods of tube feeding, fractioned enteral (FEN) versus constant rate enteral nutrition (CREN) have been compared in a prospective study. Based on anthropometrical, biological and immunological criteria, patients on CREN showed a significant improvement of their post-operative protein state in comparison with patients on FEN. This difference was due to a better tolerance to CREN, which allowed a more appropriate protein and calorie intake. Furthermore the time of intravenous infusion was reduced in patients on CREN. In conclusion, CREN is a highly efficient feeding method for patients with head and neck cancer. It has the great advantage of being simple and cheap.