[Eating and drinking at the end of life. Nutritional support for cancer patients in palliative care].

Anorexia, malnutrition followed by cachexia is observed in up to 80% of cancer patients with advanced stages of their disease, particularly in head and neck cancer, gastro-intestinal cancer and lung cancer. Malnutrition is associated with an unfavourable prognosis and has been demonstrated to be associated with an increased morbidity and an increased readmission rate. Cachexia itself can be the primary cause of death in cancer patients. Early intervention and nutritional support may be helpful in preventing anorexia and further weight loss. Successful approaches in treating anorexia have been undertaken with corticosteroids and gestagenes.