Prospective Randomized Trial of Early Postoperative Enteral and Total Parenteral Nutrition for Treating Esophageal Cancer

Background/aim: Surgical stress significantly decreases serum diamine oxidase (DAO), a marker of intestinal mucosal maturation and integrity. This study aimed to determine the effects of postoperative enteral and total parenteral nutrition (EN and TPN, respectively) in patients with esophageal cancer.

Patients and methods: This prospective randomized trial compared serum DAO activities, nutritional states, trace elements and complications between patients who underwent esophagectomy and received EN or TPN for seven days thereafter.

Results: Fifty-one patients were randomized to receive EN or TPN. The rates of change in serum DAO activity from the day before surgery were 0.79, 0.89 and 0.91 on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3 and 7, respectively, in the EN group, and 0.64, 0.76 and 1.06, respectively, in the TPN group, with no significant differences. Furthermore, the rates of changes in indicators of nutritional status, namely total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, trace element concentrations and infectious and non-infectious complications did not significantly differ between the groups.

Conclusion: EN and/or TPN can be administered for early nutritional management until resumption of oral intake after esophagectomy according to the postoperative status of individual patients with esophageal cancer.