Preoperative and Postoperative Nutritional Support Methods For Pancreatic Cancer: A Review

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly malignant neoplasm often detected at an advanced stage, resulting in a poor prognosis. Major risk factors include cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, and genetic predisposition. Malnutrition, cachexia, and sarcopenia are prevalent among PC patients and significantly impact clinical outcomes. Evidence suggests that perioperative nutritional interventions—ranging from early screening and assessment to oral supplementation, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, and enteral or parenteral nutrition—can alleviate postoperative complications, shorten hospital stays, and enhance quality of life. Early refeeding and stepwise dietary advancement are vital to maintaining gastrointestinal function and meeting energy requirements. In addition, continuing patient education and home-based nutritional management after discharge are crucial, as many patients remain at high risk of nutritional deficits postoperatively. Despite these benefits, standardized disease-specific guidelines for nutritional support in PC are still lacking, and further investigation is required to determine optimal strategies and timing for interventions. Multidisciplinary collaboration, involving surgeons, oncologists, and dietitians, is essential for addressing the multifaceted nutritional challenges encountered by PC patients and for improving both survival and quality of life. Future research should also focus on refining assessment tools, identifying specific biomarkers, and evaluating long-term outcomes to establish more targeted nutritional guidelines for PC care.