Early versus delayed oral feeding after gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Early oral feeding has been shown to be safe and effective for most surgeries, while surgeons and nurses are still hesitant to implement it in gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy. Objectives This review aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of early versus delayed oral feeding in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Data sources The literature search was performed in 7 databases from inception to March 7, 2021. Review methods Randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of early oral feeding and delayed oral feeding in gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy were included. The primary outcome was hospital days, and secondary outcomes included hospital costs, postoperative complication rates, feeding intolerance rates, annal exhaust time, albumin levels and prealbumin levels. According to the presence of heterogeneity, fixed or random effect meta-analysis was applied. Results Nine trials involving 1087 gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy were pooled in this systemic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that early oral feeding significantly decreased hospital days (mean difference = −1.50, 95% confidence interval = −1.91 to −1.10, P < 0.001) and hospital costs (mean difference = −4.21, 95% confidence interval = −5.00 to −3.42, P < 0.001) compared to delayed oral feeding, while the incidences of postoperative complications (risk ratio = 0.96, 95% confidence interval = 0.72 to 1.26, P = 0.76) and feeding intolerance (risk ratio = 0.95, 95% confidence interval = 0.79 to 1.15, P = 0.62) were comparable between the two groups. In comparison to delayed oral feeding, early oral feeding was associated with shorter annal exhaust time (mean difference = −0.61, 95% confidence interval = −0.81 to −0.40, P < 0.001) and higher levels of albumin (mean difference = 3.77, 95% confidence interval = 2.42 to 5.12, P < 0.001) and prealbumin (mean difference = 18.11, 95% confidence interval = 15.33 to 20.88, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the results of distal gastrectomy subgroup analysis indicated that hospital days were shorter in the early oral feeding group than in the delayed oral feeding group. Conclusions For gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy, early oral feeding was associated with shorter hospital days and lower hospital costs, but early oral feeding did not increase the incidences of postoperative complications or feeding intolerance. Moreover, early oral feeding also decreased the annal exhaust time but increased the levels of albumin and prealbumin.