Impact of Early Jejunostomy Tube Feeding on Clinical Outcome and Parameters of Body Composition in Esophageal Cancer Patients Receiving Multimodal Therapy

Background. Malnutrition commonly affects patients with esophageal cancer and has the potential to negatively influence treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of early (preoperative) jejunostomy tube feeding (JTF) in nutritionally 'high risk' patients receiving multimodal therapy for esophageal cancer.Methods. Patients were selected to undergo early JTF during neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in accordance with European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS (R)) Society guidelines. Clinical outcomes were compared with patients who received routine JTF from the time of esophagectomy. Body composition was determined from computed tomography (CT) images acquired at diagnosis, after nCRT, and >= 3 months after surgery.Results. In total, 81 patients received early JTF and 91 patients received routine JTF. Patients who received early JTF had lower body mass index (BMI; 26.1 +/- 4.6 vs. 28.4 +/- 4.9; p = 0.002), greater weight loss, and worse performance status at diagnosis. Groups were otherwise well-matched for baseline characteristics. Rate of re-intubation (8.8% vs. 1.1%; p = 0.027), pulmonary embolism (5.0% vs. 0.0%; p = 0.046), and 90-day mortality (10.0% vs. 1.1%; p = 0.010) were worse in the early JTF group; however, overall survival was equivalent for both the early and routine JTF groups (p = 0.053). Wide variation in the degree of preoperative muscle loss and total adipose tissue loss was observed across the entire study cohort. Relative preoperative muscle and adipose tissue loss in patients with early and routine JTF was equivalent.Conclusions. In patients determined to be at 'high risk' of malnutrition, early JTF may prevent excess morbidity after esophagectomy with an associated relative preservation of parameters of body composition.