Enteral nutrition therapy in cancer patients under palliative care: a bioethics analysis

• Autor(a) principal: Loyolla, Viviane Campos Leite
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Pessini, Leocir, Bottoni, Andrea, Serrano, Sandra Caires, Teodoro, Ana Lucia, Bottoni, Adriana
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Saúde, Ética & Justiça (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.usp.br/sej/article/view/45777
• topic: Bioética; Neoplasias; Cuidados paliativos; Terapia nutricional.; Bioethics; Neoplasms; Hospice care; Nutrition therapy.

Nutritional therapy in patients with very advanced or terminal disease is frequently discussed by health care professionals. Compromised nutritional status is a common complication in cancer patients, whoseweight loss is often the first symptom and is associated with increased morbidity and/or mortality. In palliative care, the primary goal of nutritional therapy is to improve the patient’s quality of life, minimizing nutrition-related symptoms and postponing or avoiding loss of autonomy. Considering that bioethics is a tool for reflection and action, its principles and references must be present in every attitude and decision, which implies deep reflection by the health care team, the patient and his/her family, focusing on the patient’s benefit. The aim of this study was to analyze, from a bioethical point of view, the use of enteral nutritional therapy in oncologic patients receiving palliative care, investigating participation of the patient and his/her family members in decision making regarding enteral nutritional therapy and their views on the use of this therapy.