Authors' recommendations: Patients with advanced head and neck (HN) cancer may not receive adequate nutrition orally. Non-oral (enteral) alternatives include feeding via a nasogastric (NG) tube when the issue becomes a problem (the traditional approach) or via percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) prophylactically or when needed (a more recent approach). Due to a lack of RCTs, there is limited evidence to support one treatment method over the other. In part, the issue has been lack of willingness of these very ill and vulnerable patients to be randomized. It also appears that individualized treatment is optimal as patients' preferences vary. An RCT to test the feasibility of a larger comparative RCT has been launched in England with results expected mid-2016. In clinical practice guidelines, there was little distinction between outpatient and inpatient treatment in the guidance and also little distinction between NG tube versus PEG feeding.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2014

URL for published report: http://www.cadth.ca/media/pdf/htis/dec-2014/RC0571%20NG%20vs%20PEG%20in%20pts%20with%20HN%20cancer%20Final.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Canada

Organisation Name: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health

Contact Address: 600-865 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 5S8 Canada. Tel: +1 613 226 2553; Fax: +1 613 226 5392;

Contact Name: requests@cadth.ca

Contact Email: requests@cadth.ca

Copyright: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)